'.■  '  i    I 


^:>^y\y^^ 


PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^^ 


Presented    by  Vr'<2.^\cX<a/VAV  VdAV-Vor^. 

BR  879  .A44  185  5 
American  and  Foreign 

Christian  Union. 
The  story  of  the  Madiai 


THE 

^VITH 

NOTICES   OF  EFFORTS   MADE, 

IN 

EUROPE    AND    AMERICA 
IN  THEIR  BEHALF. 


COMPILED    AND    EDITED 

BY  THE 
SECRETARIES  OF  THE 

AMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  CHRISTIAN  UNION 


rTEW-YOEK: 

AEMEICAN  AND  FOEEIGN  CHRISTIAN  UNION, 

156  Chambers-st.  a  few  doors  West  of  the 

Hudson  Eiver  Eail  Eoad  Depot 


1855. 

D.  Fanahaw,  Printer,  35  Ann-street,  comer  of  Ns 


INTRODUCTION 


This  Volume  contains  a  record  of  the  im- 
prisonment, trial,  and  condemnation  of  two 
persons,  in  comparatively  humble  life,  in  Ital^, 
on  grounds,  which  seem  to  American  minds, 
most  extraordinary.  They  had  come,  through 
the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  and  other  means, 
to  the  knowledge  of  what  they  deemed  to  be 
the  true  Gospel,  and  had,  as  a  consequence, 
abandoned  the  Eoman  Cathohc  Church — the 
established  Church  of  Tuscany.  Following 
their  convictions  of  dut}^,  they  endeavored  to 
impart  the  knowledge  of  what  they  believed  to 
be  the  "  Truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  "  to  their  friends 
and  neighbors,  beginning  with  the  members  ot 
their  household.  For  this  purpose  they  read 
the  Bible,  in  the  Protestant  version,  that  of 
Diodati's,  which  they  very  naturally  preferred 
to  that. of  Martini,  which  is  Eoman  Catholic. 
In  doing  all  this,  they  believed  that  they  were 
not  violating  the  laws  of  their  country — much 
less  those  of  God.   They  did  no  more  than  what 


INTRODUCTION 


every  man  in  tliese  United  States  believes  that 
lie  has  the  right  to  do,  not  only  from  the  Con- 
stitution and  laws  of  his  country,  but  also  from 
the  duties  and  responsibilities  with  whicli  he  is, 
in  his  very  nature,  invested,  and  from  the  com- 
mands of  his  Maker. 

The  intelligence  of  their  imprisonment  and 
final  condemnation  to  forced  labor  in  a  peniten- 
tiary for  long  years,  both  astonished  and  grieved 
the  hearts  of  millions  in  the  Old  World  and  the 
ISTew.  Great  efforts  Avere  made  to  procure  their 
pardon  and  liberation.  The  clemency  of  the 
Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany  -v^as  invoked,  by  a 
Deputation  of  distinguished  Christian  gentle- 
men from  England,  France,  Holland,  Germany, 
and  Switzerland.  The  good  offices  of  the 
monarchs  of  Great  Britain  and  Prussia  were 
interposed,  as  well  as  those  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  in  a  kind  and  unofficial 
way,  and  therefore  not  calculated  to  give  rea- 
sonable offence. 

For  a  long  time  all  was  in  vain,  and  the 
conclusion  in  many  minds  was  that  the  suf- 
ferers bade  fair,  owing  to  their  feeble  health,  to 
end  their  days  in  prison.  But  when  all  hope 
seemed  to  fail,  the  sufferers  are  suddenly  libe- 
rated, and  hurried  out  of  the  country !     The 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

pressure  from  witliout  was  too  great  for  the 
Government  of  Tuscany  longer  to  withstand.* 
The  Madiai,  at  the  time  of  this  writing,  are  in 
France.  The  Government  of  Sardinia  has 
offered  them  an  asylum  in  Piedmont.  They 
have  been  invited  to  spend  the  remainder  of 
their  days  in  Switzerland,  in  England,  in  Prus- 
sia, and  in  these  United  States.  It  is  not 
known  what  is  their  determination.  It  would 
seem  most  natural,  and  therefore  most  proba- 
ble, that  they  would  choose  Piedmont  as  not 
only  their  future  home,  but  the  field  of  their 
efforts  in  behalf  of  that  Gospel  for  which  they 
have  suffered  so  much. 

*  It  is  said,  and  we  suppose  with  tmth,  that  the  Grand 
Duke  felt  it  to  be  impossible  to  resist  longer  the  influences 
to  which  reference  has  been  made  above ;  but  still  he  was 
unwilling  to  yield  to  the  earnest  remonstrances  of  England, 
as  set  forth  in  Lord  John  Russell's  letters  to  Mr.  Bulwer, 
the  British  Ambassador  at  Florence,  and  to  appeals  from 
other  Protestant  countries.  In  this  state  of  things,  the  ex- 
Duke  of  Parma,  (formerly  Duke  of  Lucca,  and  himself  a 
Protestant  at  heart,  if  not  by  profession,)  suggested  that  the 
Tuscan  Government  might  yield  to  France  what  could  not 
be  conceded  to  England  and  other  Protestant  nations.  In 
consequence  of  this,  Louis  Xapoleon  was  induced  to  ask,  as 
a  favor,  the  pardon  of  the  Madiai.  This  favor  was  promptly 
granted ;  the  prisoners  were  released,  and  sent  as  secretly 
and  as  expeditiously  as  possible,  out  of  Tuscany,  and  into 
France ! 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

This  work  embraces  three  subjects.  1.  The 
history  of  the  arrest  of  Francesco  Madiai  and 
his  wife,  their  imprisonment  in  the  Bargello  at 
Florence,  the  receptacle  of  all  sorts  of  criminals, 
where  they  passed  many  months  in  the  society 
of  the  vilest  felons.  This  account  is  extracted 
from  letters  written  by  English  Christians  re- 
siding in,  or  then  visiting  Florence,  and  ad- 
dressed to  Christian  friends  in  England.  We 
have  good  reason  for  saying  that  the  simple  and 
minute  recital  of  facts  which  these  letters  con- 
tain is  authentic,  for  we  are  well  acquainted 
with  an  American  gentleman  of  the  strictest 
veracity,  who  informed  himself,  on  the  spot,  of 
its  exact  truth,  and  who  has  confirmed  to  us 
that  recital  in  every  important  particular.  2. 
The  Trial  of  the  Madiai,  including  the  speech 
of  the  Prosecuting  Attorney,  Signor  Bicchierai, 
the  speech  of  their  noble-minded  young  advo- 
cate, Signor  Maggiorani,  and  the  decision  of 
the  Court,  as  presented  by  Signor  Nervini,  the 
presiding  judge.  Thus  far  the  work  is  the 
same  as  that  which  appeared  in  England,  some 
months  ago,  under  the  title  of  the  Prisoners 
OF  Hope.  8.  The  last  part  contains  a  notice  of 
what  was  done  in  Europe,  as  well  as  America, 
to  secure  the  liberation  of  the   Madiai — the 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

noble  Deputation  from  England,  France,  Hol- 
land, Germany,  and  Switzerland,  and  their  pro- 
ceedings ;  the  public  meetings  in  England  and 
in  the  United  States  ;  the  conduct  of  the  Papal 
hierarchy  and  their  journals,  among  us,  etc.  etc. 
The  book  closes  with  an  account  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  Madiai  were  at  length,  through 
God's  good  providence,  and  in  answer,  we  can- 
not doubt,  to  the  prayers  of  His  people,  deli- 
vered from  what  bade  fair  to  be  a  long,  if  not 
fatal,  imprisonment.  We  have  done  Arch- 
bishop Hughes  the  justice  to  give  his  letter  in 
reference  to  the  matter,  as  well  as  one  or  two 
of  the  replies  which  were  made  to  it. 

This  Volume  we  cannot  but  deem  both 
valuable  and  opportune.  It  demonstrates,  in 
an  age  of  great  unbelief,  as  well  as  material 
prosperity  in  the  world,  that  there  is  still  an 
efficacy  in  true  Christianity  which  can,  and 
will,  through  God's  abundant  grace  and  bless- 
ing, sustain  the  soul  in  seasons  when  called  to 
endure  severest  persecution  and  bitterest  trials. 
The  examples  which  it  exhibits  to  our  view 
are  most  interesting  and  instructive  in  this 
point  of  view.  An  unbelieving  age  had  almost 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  stories  of  the 
sufferings  of  the  Martyrs  partake  more  of  the 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

fabulous  than  tlie  true.  But  we  are  here  made 
to  see  that  man,  and  even  feeble  woman,  can 
still  suffer  for  Christ,  and  be  sustained  under 
those  sufferings. 

This  Yolume  also  shows,  what  so  many 
among  us  have  been  slow  to  believe,  that 
Eome  is  the  same  unrelenting  enemy  to  the 
true  Gospel  that  she  was  in  the  Middle  Ages. 
The  intolerant  and  persecuting  spirit  which 
she  has  displayed  in  the  case  of  the  Madiai  and 
other  witnesses  for  the  Truth  in  Tuscany,  is 
precisely  the  same  that  she  displayed  against 
the  Albigenses  and  the  Waldenses  of  old. 
And  as  she  incited  the  Kings  of  France  to 
destroy  the  former,  and  the  Dukes  of  Savoy, 
(the  ancestors  of  the  present  King  of  Sardinia,) 
to  destroy  the  latter,  so  now  she  is  inciting  the 
Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany  to  destroy  what  she 
calls  "  Heresy,"  but  what  is  in  reality  the  true 
Gospel,  in  his  dominions.  It  is  well  that  the 
world  should  know  that  Eome  is  unchanged, 
and  we  may  add,  unchangeable.  Wherever  and 
whenever  she  has  the  power,  she  will  perse- 
cute— even  unto  death  !  And  what  a  Christi- 
anity is  that !  It  is  a  base  dishonor  to  the 
Author  of  Christianity  to  call  such  a  religion 
by  His  glorious  name, — in  whose  instructions 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

not  a  word,  riglitlj  interpreted,  can  be  found 
wliicli  sanctions  or  approves  persecution. 

This  Volume  demonstrates  the  falsehood  of 
the  organs  and  advocates  of  Eome,  in  this 
land,  that  have  asserted  that  the  Madiai  were 
condemned  for  "political  offences,"  that  they 
were  connected  with  Mazzini  and  the  other 
republicans  and  revolutionists,  etc.  Not  a 
word  of  this  is  true.  These  people  had  never 
meddled  with  politics ;  they  were  quiet,  obe- 
dient, and  loyal  subjects  of  their  prince,  for 
whom  they  seem  to  have  entertained  great 
respect ;  and  their  only  crime  (to  use  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Court  which  condemned  them, — 
three  judges  against  two,)  was  "impiety,  com- 
mitted by  means  of  proselytism."  That  was 
all.  And  for  that  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
teaches  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany  that  he 
ought  to  doom  his  subjects,  for  long  years,  to 
imprisonment  and  forced  labor!  All  this  is 
wrong,  and  directly  contrary  to  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  But  what  cares  Rome  for  that  ?  She 
holds  that  she  has  the  right  to  make  and 
enforce  what  laws  she  pleases ;  that  she  can 
bind  the  conscience ;  that  the  Pope  is  the 
Yice-gerent  of  Christ ;  that  Christ  has,  in  fact, 
abandoned  the  government  of  this  world,  at 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

least  till  the  Day  of  Judgment, — having  given 
•up  all  power  to  lier  as  the  only  Church,  and 
that  she  has  the  right^  if  not  the  power ^  to 
make  new  laws  for  the  Church  and  for  the 
nations,  and  put  down  and  raise  up  whom  she 
pleases!  She  has  not  renounced  one  of  her 
ancient  claims.  Pio  Nono  would  be  another 
Hildebrand,  if  he  could.  This  he  has  clearly 
intimated  in  his  "bull"  in  condemnation  of 
the  writings  of  Professor  Nuytz  of  Turin,  issued 
in  1851.  It  is  well, — it  is  even  high  time, — 
that  our  American  people  should  know  all 
this. 

It  adds  to  the  interest  which  attaches  to  the 
history  of  the  Madiai,  that  the  events  which  it 
records  occurred  at  Florence,  so  dear  to  the 
hearts  of  the  lovers  of  Literature  and  Art — to 
Florence,  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  the  Christian 
student,  who  loves  to  look  back  to  the  dark 
ages  which  preceded  the  glorious  Reformation, 
and  contemplate  the  heroic  conduct  of  Savo- 
narola,* who  preached  the  Gospel  to  audiences 

*  Girolamo  Savonarola  was  bom  in  Ferrara,  in  the  year 
1452.  From  his  youth  he  was  of  an  enthusiastic  turn  of 
mind.  He  entered  a  Convent  of  the  Dominicians  at  Bologna, 
and  became  greatly  distinguished  both  for  learning  and  elo- 
quence. In  1484  he  delivered  a  remarkable  course  of  lectures 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

that  filled  tlie  vast  cathedral  of  that  city,  and 
sealed  his  testimony  against  Eome  by  the  mar- 
tyr's death.  As  in  the  days  of  Savonarola,  so 
now,  the  ancients  of  Eome  cannot  endure  that 
the  Holy  ScrijDtures  should  be  known  by  the 
people.     She  dreads  the  sacred  volume,  and 

on  the  book  of  the  Eevelation,  at  Brescia,  and  with  much 
eftect.  Five  years  later  he  took  up  his  residence  at  Florence, 
where  he  was  both  respected  and  feared  by  Lorenzo  de 
Medici,  the  destroyer  of  his  country's  liberties,  and  to  whom 
Savonarola  refused  to  give  absolution,  when  on  his  dying 
bed,  because  he  would  not  promise  to  restore  the  Eepublic 
of  Florence,  which  he  had  overthrown. 

Savonarola's  powerful  denunciation  of  luxury,  and  vice,  and 
tyranny,  led,  for  a  time,  to  a  great  reformation  of  manners 
among  the  Florentines,  and  the  overthrow  and  banishment  of 
Pietro,  the  haughty  and  luxurious  successor  of  Lorenzo.  But 
the  Franciscans  and  Augustinians,  who  were  jealous  of  Savo- 
narola, combining  with  the  faction  of  the  Medici,  succeeded  in 
crushing  the  distinguished  Reformer,  who  had  by  his  burn- 
ing eloquence  denounced  not  only  the  vices  of  the  -people, 
but  also  those  of  the  clergy — not  even  sparing  the  Pope,  the 
infamous  Alexander  VI.  The  Republic  was  a  second  time 
overthrown,  and  Savonarola,  with  two  other  monks,  was 
brought  to  the  stake  on  the  23rd  of  May,  1493.  When  the 
bishop  who  presided  at  the  ceremony,  with  a  loud  voice, 
pronounced  them  separated  from  the  <*  Church,"  Savonarola 
exclaimed,  "From  the  Militant,"— intimating  that  he  be- 
lieved that  they  were  about  to  enter  the  "  Church  Triumph 
ant."  Thus  died  this  remarkable  man,  who  has  been  ju-tly 
stj'led  one  of  the  "  Reformers  before  the  Reformation." 

AmericaxV  Editor. 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

all  wIlo  go  to  it  alone,  as  tlie  only  true  source 
of  divine  knowledge.  She  persecutes  the 
Bible-readers  of  Florence, — imprisons  and  ban- 
ishes them, — now-a-days,  just  as  she  persecuted 
unto  death  Savonarola  and  his  followers. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  for  the  last  ten  or 
twelve  years  some  attempts  have  been  made 
to  introduce  the  knowledge  of  the  true  Gospel 
into  Florence,  and  not  in  vain.  Even  before 
the  Revolution  of  1848,  many  copies  of  the 
"Word  of  God  and  of  some  excellent  tracts  and 
books,  in  Italian,  had  been  circulated  in  and 
about  Florence.  When  the  Constitution  of 
1848  was  granted,  the  door  was  for  a  time 
opened  for  doing  a  good  work.  Several  young 
Waldensian  ministers  went  down  to  Florence 
for  the  double  purpose,  of  improving  their 
knowledge  of  the  Italian  language,  and  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  the  natives  who  desired 
to  hear  it.  A  faithful  minister  of  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland  was  also  very  useful  in  the 
good  work  which  commenced  about  this  time 
in  that  city. 

For  nine  months  this  good  work  was  pros- 
ecuted with  vigor  and  success.  Several  thou- 
sand copies  of  the  Bible  and  religious  books 
and  tracts  were  disseminated.    But  soon  a  sad 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

change  took  place.  The  Grand  Duke,  restored 
by  Austrian  bayonets,  revoked  the  Constitu- 
tion, and  rehgious  Kberty  was  aboHshed.  The 
Waldcnsian  ministers  were  forced  to  retire  to 
their  mountain-home.  The  converts  at  Flo- 
rence were  first  suspected ;  next  put  under  the 
surveillance  of  the  police,  and  finally  several 
of  the  men  of  influence  among  them  were 
arrested  and  thrown  into  prison.  Among  them 
was  Signor  Piero  Guicciardini,  a  nobleman  of 
distinguished  family,  and  universally  respect- 
ed for  his  excellent  character  and  his  great 
efforts  in  behalf  of  Infant  Schools.  Findino: 
that  he  was  suspected,  and  hoping  that  his 
withdrawal  for  a  time  from  Florence  might 
lead  the  government  to  release  its  pursuit  of 
the  Uvanrfelici,  (Evangelicals,)  as  the  new  sect 
was  called,  he  prepared  to  set  out  on  a  visit  to 
England.  When  nearly  ready  to  leave,  he 
prepared  a  statement  of  his  religious  belief, 
that  his  countrymen  might  know  what  he  pro- 
fessed. This  document  is  dated  on  the  Srd  of 
May,  1851.  On  the  evening  of  the  7th  of  that 
month,  calling  to  bid  farewell  to  a  friend,  he 
spent  some  time  with  a  few  persons,  six  in 
number,  in  reading  the  15th  chapter  of  the 
Gospel  by  John.     In  the  midst  of  this  service 


14  INTRODUCTIOIf. 

they  v/ere  broken  in  upon  by  tlie  police,  and 
dragged  to  prison.  Without  trial,  and  simply 
by  a  police-order^  he  was  banished  for  six 
months,  to  one  of  the  worst  prisons  in  Tus- 
cany— the  pestiferous  Maremma.  This  sen- 
tence was  afterwards  commuted  into  exile  from 
Tuscany  for  a  year,  we  believe. 

The  admirable  document  of  Count  Guic- 
ciardini  was  published  after  he  had  left  Italy, 
and  created  much  sensation.  Its  sentiments 
and  doctrines  are  entirely  evangelical,  and 
worthy  of  the  Italian  Protestants  of  the  IGtli 
century. 

We  bring  this  introductory  notice  of  the 
book  in  hand  to  a  close,  with  the  following 
quotations  from  the  English  edition : 

"Full  evidence  is  here  given  that  the  oppo- 
sition of  Eomanism  to  the  Word  of  God  con- 
tinues the  same,  and  that  English  Christians 
are  only  misinformed  when  told  that  "  Vulgar 
translations  of  the  whole  Scripture  are  upon 
sale,  and  open  to  every  one,  in  Italy  itself,  with 
the  express  permission  of  the  Eoman  Pontiff."'^ 
Romish  authorities  may  tell  us  this ;  but,  alas  I 
the   prisons   of   Italy,    and   the   sufferings   of 

*  ■'  End  of  Religious  Controversy,"  Iby  the  R.  C.  Bp. 
Milr.er,  Letter  xlvii. 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

Christians  there  confined,  bear  a  diiferent  and 
incontrovertible  testimony. 

"It  Las  indeed  been  said  that  the  priests  of 
Eome  have  no  more  to  do  with  these  persecu- 
tions, than  ministers  of  the  Gospel  in  England 
have  ^yith  the  carrying  on  of  criminal  prosecu- 
tions !  But  what  causes  the  possession  of  the 
Word  of  God  to  be  regarded  as  a  criminal 
charge  ?  The  dogmas  of  Eome,  as  taught  by 
the  priests  (Jesuits  probably)  to  the  Tuscan 
authorities.  If  any  Eomanist  disclaims  per- 
secution, it  goes  no  farther  than  himself;  he  is 
in  that  particular  a  dissenter  from  his  Church. 
So  long  as  Eome  recognises  the  decree  of  the 
Lateran  council  under  Innocent  III.  requiring 
the  temporal  powers  to  persecute  "heretics,"— 
so  long  as  she  authorizes  "Instructions  to 
Theological  Candidates,"  hinting  not  obscurely 
(by  condemning  the  contrary  as  heresy)  "that  it 
is  according  to  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  to  burn 
heretics," — and  so  long  as  every  Eomish  Bishop 
swears  that  he  will  persecute  and  oppose  all  he- 
retics^— so  long  shall  we  be  justified  in  charging 
on  Eomanism  as  a  system,  and  on  its  priests 
as  the  ministers  of  that  system,  the  persecutions 
which  are  carried  out  by  the  secular  authori- 
ties which  profess  that  religion." 


CONTENTS. 

Introduction Page  3 

Letter  I. — Search  of  the  house  of  Francesco  Madiai,  August  17. — 
Bibles  seized. — Francesco  and  three  others  arrested.— One,  an  English- 
man, liberated. 19 

Letter  II. — Two  Florentines  banished  without  trial,  simply  for  the 
confession  of  the  Gospel. — Arrest  of  Rosa  Madiai,  Aug.  27. — Not  per- 
mitted to  see  her  husband. — Sept.  6,  charge  of  proselyting  brought 
against  the  Madiai. — False  charges  against  Signora  Madiai.     .        .    21 

Letter  III. — The  prisoners  still  kept  in  separate  cells. — Difficulty 
of  any  lawyer  acting  for  them, — Maggiorani  undertakes  to  be  their 
advocate  — Illness  of  the  prisoners. — An  arrest  through  the  confes- 
sional  24 

Letter  IV. — Increase  of  persecution. — Rosa  Madiai  very  ill ;  not 
allowed  to  see  her  own  doctor. — A  reader  of  the  Bible  imprisoned 
through  his  wife's  confession. — Priests  employed  as  spies. — Severity 
against  Evangelici. — Sixty  said  to  be  in  prison  for  affairs  of  con- 
science ;  not  allowed  to  see  their  friends  ! — Treated  worse  than  mur- 
derers  26 

Letter  V. — Occurrences  of  the  night  of  November  15. — D 

hears  that  B 's  house  was  to  be  visited,  and  informs  A ;  they 

go    to    B 's,  and    see  him    arrested. — They  warn  his  brothers.— 

A finds  the  police  in  his  own  house  ;  Providential  deliverance. — 

A escapes  from  P'lorence 29 

Letter  VI. — Details  continued. — Courage  of  Signora  A ;  her 

alarm  for  her  husband ;  succeeds  in  warning  him. — Anger  of  the  gens- 
darmes  ;  repeated  searches  of  the  house. — Eftbrts  on  behalf  of  Rosa 
Madiai  in  her  sufferings 36 

Letter  VII. — Improved  health  of  Rosa  Madiai. — Her  examination 
before  tlie  magistrates. — Francesco  Madiai  sent  to  the  Murate  prison. — 
Interview  between  the  husband  and  wife. — Refusal  of  bail  for  them. — 
Danger  incurred  by  an  advocate  in  defending  prisoners.      .        .        38 

Letter  VIII. — Reference  to  another  case  of  suffering. — Two  per- 
sons imprisoned  through  the  Priests. — Trial  of  the  Madiai  put  off  till 
March ^    .        .        .        .        •        -43 


CONTENTS.  17 

Letter  IX. — Prayers  for  the  sufferers. — Continued  trials. — The 
two  arrested  on  account  of  the  sick  man. — Florence  a  city  quite 
Catholic,  Apostolic  and  Roman. — Evangelica  or  Sabina.      .        .        45 

Letter  X. — Preparation.s  for  the  trial  of  the  Madiai. — February  26, 
Sentence  on  the  two  men  before  mentioned.  Acquitted  by  the  tri- 
bunals, but  sentenced  by  the  police. — Extracts  from  the  decreto.     .    48 

Lefter  XI. — Carrying  out  of  the  sentence  on  the  two  men  ;  the 
one  banished ;  the  other  taken  to  Piombino  to  be  imprisoned  in  the 
fortress 50 

Letter  XII. — Witnesses  against  the  Madiai?  ingratitude  of  a 
family  whom  they  had  aided. — April  15.  The  trial  still  postponed. — 
Francesco's  Letter. 51 

From  Francesco  Madiai  to  H.  E. 

Letter  XIII. — His  arrival  at  Florence  when  16. — Conduct  of  his 
Confessor. — Nineteen  years  of  unsatisfactory  ideas  on  religion. — 
Reads  the  English  Prayer  Book ;  goes  to  America  ;  bis  first  Commu- 
nion, Trinity  Church,  Boston. — Returns  to  Florence  ;    goes  to  Rome 

with  the  Misses  J ;  meets  Rosa  Pulini ;  she  explains  the  Bible  to 

him. — Marries  Rosa  Pulini.— ^His  Prayers 53 

Letter  XIV.  Trial  again  put  off. — Annoyance  to  the  Prisoners. — 
Francesco's  calmness ;  Rosa's  grief. — They  meet  for  a  moment.      .    56 

Letter  XV. — Hopes  that  the  trial  may  come  on  soon. — Maggiora- 
ni's  diligence. — Question  as  to  the  application  of  the  law. — Rosa's  im- 
proved health 58 

Letter  XVI. — The  trial :  commences  June  5. — The  prisoners  meet 
in  the  dock.— The  .Attorney-general  proposes  that  the  trial  be  private. 
— Some  have  permission  to  stay. — Witnesses  for  the  prosecution  pre- 
pared by  the  priests. — Papers  and  tracts  read. — Francesco's  answers  ; 
forbidden  to  quote  Scripture. — Witnesses  for  the  Madiai. — Rosa's  an- 
swers.—Maggiorani's  speech.- Reply  of  the  Attorney-general ;  he 
suggests  the  sentence  to  the  judges.— Deliberation  of  the  Judges,  June 
7  and  8. — Sentence  on  the  Madiai. — How  received  by  them  ;  their  sepa- 
ration  59 

Letter  XVII.— Rosa  Madiai  to  her  husband.  ...        66 

Letter  XVIIL— Rosa  Madiai's  dejection  of  spirits  ;  her  ill  health.— 

Maggiorani's  application  to  the  Minister  of  Justice.— The  appeal  to  the 

Court  of  Cassation.— 22d  :  Contrast  between  the  Florentine  rejoicings, 

at  "the  Feast  of  St.  John,"  and  the  condition  of  the  imprisoned.    .    69 


18  CONTENTS. 

Letter  XIX. — Publication  of  Maggiorani's  defence;  interest  ex- 
pressed about  it. — Bicchierai's  speech  against  tlie  Madiai  published. — 
His  admissions  in  favor  of  the  character  of  the  accused.      .        .        72 

Letter  XX — The  case  heard  before  the  Court  of  Appeal. — The 
judges  apparently  favorable. — August  7.  The  former  sentence  con- 
firmed.— The  Leopoldine  laws  set  aside. — A  petition  to  the  Grand 
Duke  prepared 73 

H.  M y  to  N and  L . 

Letter  XXI. — Rejection  of  the  Petition  for  grace ;  Visit  to  Francesco 
Madiai  in  the  Murate  prison  ;  his  submission  and  message  to  his  wife. 
— Visit  to  Rosa  in  the  Bargello  ;  her  sutlerings  ;  her  prayer  ;  Her  re- 
moval to  Lucca. — Her  message  to  her  friends 77 

H.  E to  F.D . 

Letter  XXII. — Remembrances  of  visits  to  the  Madiai.  .        80 

Report  of  the  trial. — Speech  of  the  Public  Minister,  Signor  A. 

Bicchierai. — Defence   of   the    accused    by  the  Signor   Ovardo   Mag- 

giorani 86 

The  Sentence 171 

Opinions  of  the  Lawyers 178 

Additional  facts  relating  to  the  trial.  .  .  .  179 
Conduct  of  the  Prisoners  after  the  Trial.  .  .  .  184 
The    Effect    of  the  trial    and    condemnation   upon  the 

Christian  Public 189 

Answer  of  the  Minister 192 

Address 194 

Correspondence  between  the  Deputation  and  the  Con- 
verts IN  Tuscany 197 

Lord  Roden's  Visit  to  the  Imprisoned  Madiai.      .        ,     204 

Proceedings  in  America. 

Chapter  I.  A  Notice  of  a  Meeting  in  Metropolitan  Hall.  Statement  of 

Facts. — Resolutions   adopted. —  Declarations    of  Principles. — Dr.   Be- 

thune's  Address. — Popish  Opposition. — Meeting  in  Newark.— Meeting 

in  Baltimore. — Resolutions  of  New-York  Legislature. — Resolutions  of 

the  United  States  Senate.— Mr.  Everett's  Letter 210 

Chapter  II.  Archbishop  Hughes'  Letter.  ....    233 

Reply  to  Archbishop  Hughes'  Letter. 

Chapter  III.  Mr.  Phelps'  Letter. 249 

Why  have  the  Madiai  been  treated  so  cnielly  ?  .  .  .  290 
Their  Liberation.         , 299 


STORY   OF   THE   MADIAI. 

BEING 

LETTEES  EEOM  FLOKENCE,  &a 


LETTER  I. 

Search  of  the  house  of  Francesco  Madiai,  August  17. — Bibles 
seized. — Francetico  and  three  others  arrested. — One,  an 
Englishman,  liberated. 

Florence,  August  20,  1851. 
My  dear  L., — The  persecutions  still  continue. 
Last  Sunday,  the  17th,  a  case  of  gross  injustice  and 
abuse  of  power  occurred  in  Piazza  Santa  Maria  No- 
vella. At  about  half-past  seven  m  the  evenmg  a 
visit  was  made  by  the  gensdarmes  to  the  house  of 
Francesco  Madiai,  and,  although  both  himself  and 
his  wife  were  from  home,  the  house  was  searched 
from  the  roof  to  the  cellars ;  and  the  object  of  the 
search  was  revealed  by  the  capture  of  two  Bibles 
and  an  English  book  (Hawker's  Morning  Portion,  I 
believe.)  An  Englishman  had  chanced  to  call  in  to 
see  Francesco,  and  was  awaiting  his  return,  and 
there  were  also  two  ether  individuals  waiting  for 
him ;  these  three  were  immediately  arrested,  and 


20  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

their  persons  searched ;  and  the  holiest  gensdarmes 
swore  they  found  them  reading  the  Scriptures.*  In 
the  meantime  Francesco  Madiai  returned  home,  and 
he  was  arrested;  and  shortly  after,  all  four  were 
carried  off  to  the  Bargello,  the  common  prison  of 
Florence,  in  spite  of  warm  remonstrances  on  the 
part  of  all.  Poor  dear  Rosa,  who  had  also  returned 
home,  behaved  with  her  usual  dignity ;  she  encou- 
raged her  husband,  saying,  he  had  done  nothing 
wrong,  and  therefore  he  need  not  be  ashamed ;  and 
that  she  hoped  he  would  be  liberated  after  a  few 
hours'  detention  : — thus  they  parted.  May  her  hopes 
indeed  be  realized !  The  Englishman  was  kept  in 
prison  twenty-two  hours,  and  was  only  eventually 
released  through  the  exertion  of  his  relations  and  the 
strong  remonstances  of  the  legation  at  Florence.  I 
will  not  add  more  now,  as  I  hope  to  write  again  very 
shortly,  when  I  may  be  able  to  give  you  an  account 
of  the  release  of  the  other  three  prisoners. 

Yours  affectionately, 

D.  K. 


*  This  was  about  eight  o'clock ;  when  on  August  17,  it  is 
quite  dusk  at  Florence,  so  that  even  if  reading  God's  word 
were  an  offence,  they  could  not  have  been  guilty  at  that  time. 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  21 


LETTER  II. 

Two  Florentines  banished  witliout  trial,  simply  for  the  con- 
fession of  the  Gospel. — Arrest  of  Rosa  Madiai,  Aug.  27. — 
Not  permitted  to  see  her  husband. — Mode  of  procedure 
against  suspected  persons. — Sept.  G,  charge  of  proselyting 
brought  against  the  Madiai. — False  charges  against  Signo- 
ra  Madiai 

Florexce,  Aug.  29,  1851. 

My  dear  L., — You  Avill  be  anxious  to  hear  the 
flite  of  the  three  poor  prisoners  for  the  Gospel's 
sake,  whom  I  named  to  you  in  my  last.  Madiai  and 
the  other  two,  who  are  also  Florentines,  were  placed 
in  seperate  cells,  and  no  one  has  been  allowed  to  see 
them.  I  believe  they  have  had  several  secret  exami- 
nations; for  justice  in  this  country  now  is  rarely 
public.  The  two  men,  after  being  detained  in  prison 
seven  days,  were  offered  their  choice  either  of  indefi- 
nite imprisonment  or  indefinite  exile ;  of  course,  they 
chose  the  latter.  And  thus  are  these  poor  fellows, 
the  one  a  shoemaker,  the  other  a  valet  out  of  place, 
cast  forth  into  the  wide  world  as  wanderers,  without 
means,  without  friends,  but  such  as  our  heavenly 
Father  may  raise  up  to  them ; — without  trial,  or  any 
cause  assigned:  their  crime  being  that  they  were 
found  in  the  house  of  the  Madiai,  and  that  they  both 
confessed  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  in  their  private 
examinations,  and  also  avowed  that  they  read  the 
Bible. 


22  STORY      OF     THE     MAD  I A  I. 

And  now  comes  the  most  affecting  of  all  my 
communications,  and  one  for  which  we  were  but  lit- 
tle prepared :  perhaps,  you  will  scarcely  believe  my 
report,  when  I  tell  you  that  poor  dear  Eosa  Madiai 
has  been  taken  into  custody  and  imprisoned !  a 
woman — a  poor  sickly  woman.  This  took  place 
two  days  ago,  i.  c.  ten  days  after  her  beloved  hus- 
band's imprisonment.  She  also  has  been  carried  to 
the  Bargello,  where  they  remain  in  separate  cells, 
not  having  seen  each  other  since  the  affecting  evening 
of  the  17th.  She  has  been  unceasing  in  her  efforts 
to  obtain  permission  to  see  her  husband,  but  has 
been  invariably  refused  with  the  utmost  harshness. 
Still  we  never  thought  it  would  come  to  this.  Just 
see  how  that  shameful  edict  of  April  the  25th* 
already  works.  If  you  have  read  Gladstone's  Let- 
ters, you  have  just  the  manner  of  arrests  here.  Per- 
sons are  taken  up  upon  suspicion,  and  then  they  seek 
in  all  directions  for  witnesses  to  inculpate  them. 
Alas,  poor  Rosa!  How  will  she  bear  her  narrow 
close  cell?  the  vermin — the  bugs — so  numerous  that 
they  actually  drop  upon  their  persons  and  into  their 
food  1     I  will  write  again  in  a  few  days. 

Sept.  6.  To  resume :  for  I  would  not  send  my 
letter  without  more  information  about  poor  dear 
Rosa.    They  have  had  several  examinations,  (I  mean 

*  The  edict  wMck  is  mentioned  in  tlie  Introduction,  by 
wMch  such  extensive  powers  were  given  to  the  police,  irre- 
spective of  the  ordinary  and  legal  tribunals. 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  23 

separately,)  but,  as  usual,  hitherto  conducted  in  pri- 
vate; and  I  understand  that  in  prison  they  have 
boldly  and  consistently  avowed  themselves  Evan- 
gelid.  Under  these  circumstances  fresh  charges 
have  been  sought  and  made  out,  against  the  man  of 
endeavoring  to  proselytise,  (in  this  country  a  very 
serious  accusation,)  and  against  the  wife,  of  immoral 
conduct.  Now  tliis  infimous  charge  militates  against 
the  whole  tenor  of  her  life ;  and  it  only  shows  the 
rancor  of  the  feeling  against  them ;  for  really  they 
have  no  offence  whatever  with  which  to  charge  them, 
except  upon  the  ground  of  worshippmg  God  m  that 
way  which  they  call  heresy. 

Yours  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  III. 


The  prisoners  still  kept  in  separate  cells. — Difficulty  of  any 
lawyer  acting  for  them. — Maggiorani  undertakes  to  be  their 
advocate. — Trial  not  likely  to  come  on  before  Christmas. — 
Food  sent  to  the  prisoners. — Illness  of  the  prisoners. — An 
arrest  through  the  confessional. 

Florexce,  Sept.  15,  1851. 
My  DEAR  L. — I  have  no  favorable  news  to  com- 
municate. Our  two  dear  prisoners  are  still  confined 
in  their  separate  cells,  and  no  one,  as  I  said  before,  is 
allowed  to  see  them.  They  have  engaged  a  lawyer 
to  look  after  their  affairs ;  but  you  have  no  idea  of 


24  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

the  difficulty,  in  this  country,  of  finding  any  one 
willing  to  undertake  the  case  of  those  accused,  or 
suspected,  of  holding  views  contrary  to  the  dogmas 
of  Rome;  they  are  so  afraid  of  getting  involved 
themselves ;  or  rather,  through  the  influence  of  the 
Government  and  the  priests,  of  finding  themselves 
utterly  ruined.  Several  who  were  asked  to  under- 
take the  case  of  the  Madiai,  absolutely  refused,  say- 
ing they  had  families,  and  they  could  not  risk  the 
ruin  it  might  entail  upon  them.  Nevertheless  one 
called  Maggiorani,  has  nobly  and  kindly  undertaken 
their  cause ;  he  is  considered  to  be  a  talented  young 
man;  at  least,  he  has  an  independent  spirit.  We 
hear  there  is  no  hope  of  anything  being  decided  upon 
before  Christmas,  and  then  great  fears  are  enter- 
tained that  some  very  severe  punishment  will  be 
awarded  them. 

You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  a  most  attached 
and  devoted  friend  of  the  poor  prisoners  has  under- 
taken to  send  them  food  that  they  can  eat,  for  the 
prison  fare  is  so  disgusting  that  few  can  eat  it ;  this 
friend  of  theirs  is  an  admirable  little  creature,  full  of 
heart  and  courage.  May  God  reward  her  for  her  de- 
voted kindness!  Poor  Rosa  has  been,  and  still  is 
very  ill ;  but  both  she  and  her  husband  are  full  of 
faith  and  Christian  courage.  Another  poor  fellow 
has  been  arrested  in  consequence  of  secrets  obtained 
THROUGH  THE  CONFESSIONAL  by  meaus  of  a  wife  and 
a  son!  they  have  confessed  to  the  dreadful  crime 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  25 

that  he  reads  the  Bible ; — he  too,  is  in  solitary  con- 
finement.        ******* 
Yours  affectionately,  D.  K. 


LETTER  IV. 


Increase  of  persecution. — Rosa  Madiai  veiy  ill;  not  allowed 
to  see  her  ovra  doctor. — A  reader  of  the  Bible  imprisoned 
through  his  icifc's  confession. — Priests  emploj-ed  as  spies. — 
Severity  against  Evangelici. — Sixty  said  to  be  in  prison  for 
affairs  of  conscience ;  not  alloAved  to  see  their  friends ! — 
Treated  worse  tlian  murderers. — Their  confession  of  the 
Gospel  in  their  examinations. — Source  of  the  trial  to  the 
Madiai ;  a  servant  in  the  confessional. — Continued  desire 
for  the  Bible. 

Florence,  Sept.  22,  1851. 
My  dear  L. — I  should  have  answered  your  kind 
letter  immediately,  but  I  have  been  so  very  un- 
well, not  to  say  ill,  that  I  felt  it  quite  impossible  to 
use  either  head  or  pen,  and  one  needs  to  be  so  well 
in  these  trying  times  and  circumstances.  I  hope  that 
you  received  my  letter  in  which  I  gave  an  account 
of  the  fresh  persecutions ;  they  are  so  increased  in 
severity,  that  it  is  impossible  not  to  have  sad  fore- 
bodings for  those  now  in  bonds.  Francesco  has  now 
been  in  prison  more  than  five  weeks,  Rosa  almost 
four;  and  nothing  is  as  yet  decided.  The  same 
severity  continues ;  and  no  one  is  allowed  to  see 
them.  Poor  Rosa  is  very  ill ;  she  very  much  wishes 
3 


26  STORY      OF      THE      MA  DIAL 

to  be  allowed  to  see  her  own  doctor,  but  is  not  per- 
mitted to  do  so.    Poor  I is  also  still  in  prison, 

and  nothing  is  kno^ii  of  him.  There  is  another  man 
in  prison  through  the  confession  of  jhis  wife  ;  she, 
poor  thing,  did  not  intend  to  betray  her  husband,  but 
it  was  dragged  out  of  her  that  he  read  the  Bible ;  and 
though  the  gensdarmes  found  nothing,  not  even  his ' 
Bible,  they  nevertheless  carried  him  off  to  prison. 
This  is  another  instance  that  the  Priests  are  spies 
of  the  Government. 

The  severity  against  the  EvangeUci  is  increasing 
every  day  ;  spies  are  watching  all  the  suspected 
houses.  Were  two  even  found  together  reading 
God's  precious  Word — for  that  crime  they  would 
instantly  be  marched  off  to  jail.  We  heard  to-day 
that  sixty  are  in  prison  for  affairs  of  conscience ; 
were  they  murderers  they  might  be  permitted  to  see 
their  friends,  but  in  matters  of  conscience,  greater 
severity  must  be  used,  and  they  are  denied  this  con- 
solation. How  gladly,  alas !  would  I  give  your 
sympathizing  message  to  the  dear  prisoners  in  bonds 
for  truth's  sake,  had  I  any  means  whatever  of  doing 
so  •,  for  truly  it  would  cheer  their  hearts  to  know 
how  many  have  fellowship  with  them  in  their  sor- 
row. In  general,  all  that  passes  within  those  gloomy 
walls  partakes  of  the  stillness  of  the  grave.  Still,  we 
do  hear  that,  in  their  examinations,  they  boldly  con- 
fess their  faith,  and  that  really  they  implicate  them- 
selves.  Like  all  the  rest,  they  decidedly  declare  that 


LETTERS  FROM  FLORENCE.       27 

they  do  not  belong  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
When  asked — Did  they  try  to  convert?  They  re- 
plied— No  one  can  convert  but  God.  Still,  if  any  one 
asked  us  what  we  thought  of  such  and  such  a  passage, 
we  simply  told  our  belief  Francesco  is  in  a  most 
spiritual  state  of  mind ;  he  truly  glorifies  his  Master. 
When  the  Government  has  finished  with  these, 
they  will,  most  probably,  lay  their  hands  upon 
others.  We  have  at  length  found  out  the  source  of 
all  this  trial  to  the  Madiai — a  servant,  who  had  lived 
with  them  some  time,  and  whom  her  mistress  thought 

to  be  converted.     T thought  the  same,  but 

S and  I  did  not ;  in  fact,  there  were  very  diffe- 
rent judgments  about  her.  When  this  girl  was  dis- 
charged from  the  service  of  the  JNIadiai  she  went 
home  to  the  neighborhood  of  Lucca,  and  her  mother- 
in-law  found  out  that  she  had  prohibited  books,  and 
IN  THE  CONFESSIONAL  made  this  known.  The  girl 
was  called,  up,  and  either  through  fear  or  bribery, 
(the  latter  we  rather  think,)  she  has  betrayed  all 
that  she  could  betray :  thus  you.  see,  the  Priests 
have  an  interest  in  condemnmg,  and  the  Government 
to  please  them  will  do  their  worst.  No  one  knows 
how  many  witnesses  they  have  contrived  to  get,  nor 
of  what  kind  ;  but  all  this  long  time  they  have  been 
occupied  in  trying  to  get  depositions  to  make  out  a 
case.  Are  you  not  tired  of  these  details  of  sorrow  ? 
Nevertheless,  they  work  the  peaceful  fruits  of  righte- 
ousness.    The  desire  for  the  Bible  is  more  earnest 


28  STORY     OF      THE     MADIAI. 

than  ever  ;  the  desire  to  understand  it  more  ardent 
than  ever. 

Yours  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER   V. 


Occurrences  of  the  night  of  November  15. — D hears  that 

B 's  house  was  to  be  visited,  and  informs  A ;  they 

go  to  B 's,  and  see  him  arrested. — They  warn  his 

brothers. — A finds   the   police  in  his  o^\'n  house; 

Providential  deliverance. — A escapes  from  Florence ; 

danger  of  arrest  at  the  gate,  and  deliverance. — Eeaches 
Leghorn. — His  escape  by  sea. — His  wife's  trials  on  that 
night:  the  search;  her  Bible. — Books  seized. — Many  ar- 
rests on  that  night. — The  condition  of  the  Madiai. 

Florence,  Nov.  27,  1851. 

Mr  DEAR  L. —  %  %  ^  I  Y^Q^y  begin 
my  detail  of  the  occurrences  of  Saturday  night,  Nov. 
15th,  and  especially  respecting  one  very  dear  to 
many,  whose  courage,  generosity  and  devotedness, 
cannot  be  surpassed.  May  the  Lord  grant  that  it 
may  reach  you  in  safety. 

A is  a  schoolmaster,  and  gives  lessons  in 

Italian,  Latin,  &c.  in  every  case  of  difficulty  he  was 
always  ready  to  put  himself  forward  for  others.  He, 
as  well  as  his  interesting  wife,  are  Clmstians.  On 
Saturday  night  at  about  eleven,  a  friend  of  liis  called 

D ,  was' in  a  cafe,  and  heard  that  B was  to 

have  a  perquisition  in  his  house,  and  that  many 
others  also  were  to  be  visited ;  he  rushed  with  in- 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  29 

credible  speed  to  A 's  house,  who  was  in  bed 

and  told  him  what  he  had  heard.  A immedi- 
ately threw  on  some  clothes,  and  without  stopping 
to  hide  away  his  own  things  rushed  out  of  his  house, 
saying,  "  Perhaps  we  shall  be  in  time  to  save  or  help 

B ."    In  ten  minutes  after  he  had  left,  six  cara- 

binicri  were  in   his   own   house,   and   they  would 

have  arrested  him  in  bed.     He  and  D went  to 

B 's  house,  and  in  his  eagerness,  he  rang  violent- 
ly at  the  bell ;  as  he  received  no  answer,  he  rang 
again — no  answer:  they  thought,  perhaps,  he  was 

concealing  some  papers ;  but  D said,  "  Do  not 

ring  again,  perhaps  they  are  already  there ;  let  us 
hide  ourselves  in  a  corner."  They  had  not  concealed 
themselves  many  minutes  when  the  door  was  opened, 
and  they  saw  their  friend  looking  very  pale,  in  the 
midst  of  four  carabinieri  led  off  to  jail !  To  finish  this 
case,  not  one  single  thing  was  found  in  his  house,  not 
even  the  Bible ;  nevertheless  he  is  still  in  prison,  as 
they  call  it,  upon  suspicion,  and  there  he  may  remain, 
who  knows  how  long?'* 

A and  D immediately  went  to  the  cafe, 

to  warn  his  two  brothers,  but  they  found  no  one 
there ;  they  then  returned,  and  soon  after  met  the 

two  brothers  of  B ,  who  w*ere  going  to  their 

brother's  house ;  they  were  told  what  had  occurred, 

*  The  result  of  this  case  was,  that  B ,  on  other 

alleged  grounds,  was  sent  to  Elba,  to  be  imprisoned  in  a 
fortress  for  one  year. 


30  STORY      OF      THE      MA  DIAL 

and  advised  to  go  and  see  if  anything  was  doing  at 
their  own  houses.  One  found,  from  the  lights  in 
various  apartments,  that  his  house  was  also  invaded 
by  the  ^ensdarmes  ;  of  course  he  did  not  go  in ;  or 
he,  also,  would  have  been  marched  off  to  prison. 

After  this,  A thought  he  had  better  return 

home,  and  said,  in  a  kind  of  careless  way,  "  It  would 
be  singular  if  they  Avere  in  my  house,  too."  Again, 
a  third  time,  God's  protecting  hand  was  over  him. 

D 's  dog  ran  forward,  and,  in  order  not  to  lose 

him,  he  ran  after  him,  and  in  stooping  down  to  catch 
him,  was  in  such  a  position  as  to  observe,  to  his 

great  surprise,  lights  in  A 's  sitting  room,  at  two 

in  the  morning ;  he,  therefore,  stopped  A ,  whose 

hand  was  on  the  bell,  saying,  "  Do  not  ring,  they  are 
also  in  your  house ;  rather  make  your  accustomed 
wdiistle,'and  your  wife  will  hear  you.  He  did  so, 
but  received  no  answer;  and  then  he  whistled  a 
second  time,  and  soon  after  they  saw  a  hand  slowly 
waving  them  away ;  also,  in  a  few  minutes,  his  maid- 
servant opened  the  door,  and  said.  Fly,  fly."  When 
the  door  was  opened  without  a  ring  at  the  bell, 

A thought  it  was  one  of  the  gensdarmes  to  take 

him,  so  he  rushed  away.    D heard  the  message, 

and  ran  after  him  ;  in  the  hurry  the  little  dog  was 
left  behind,  and  began  to  bark  on  the  stairs.    But  I 

will  continue  A 's  story.    At  the  corner  of  the 

street  the  two  friends  parted,  and  D was  obliged 

to  go  to  his  own  house  to  arrange  his  affairs.    A 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  31 

having  no  money  In  his  pocket  went  to  a  friend  and 
borrowed  a  little  :  as  he  again  passed  near  his  own 
house,  he  met  a  gensdarme,  sent  to  arrest  him,  who 
stopped  close  to  him.  He  immediately  lifted  up  his 
heart  in  most  earnest  supplication  to  the  Lord,  to 
deliver*  him,  and  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  turn 
his  back  to  the  gensdarme,  and  calmly  light  his 
cigar;  the  man,  after  a  faw  minute's  hesitation, 
walked  on. 

Poor  A then  made  for  the  nearest  gate,  and 

again  he. prayed  earnestly,  before  calling  to  have  the 
gate  opened,  thinking  they  might  arrest  him  there. 
But  the  Lord  again  delivered  him.  The  man  said, 
'•'■Felice  notte  f  to  which  the  other  most  cordially 

replied,  "  Felice  notteP    A says,  that  once  out 

of  the  city,  he  breathed  more  freely.  You  may 
imagine  the  conflict  of  thoughts  and  feelings  which 
passed  through  his  heart  on  that  sad  night !  his  wife, 
his  three  little  children !  his  country,  that  he  loves 
so  deeply,  thrusting  him  from  her  bosom,  solely  be- 
cause he  reads  and  spreads  God's  Word  and  reli- 
gious books. 

He  kept  on  walking  between  the  two  gates,  out- 
side the  walls,  for  some  time,  almost  frozen  with 
cold :  at  last,  overcome  with  fatigue,  he  lost  all  con- 
sciousness, but  was  aroused  by  hearing  the  clock 
strike  three.  He  then  thought  he  would  walk  on  to 
the  first  station ;  but  as  we  have  lately  had  a  flood, 
the  water  and  mud  prevented  him,  and  so  he  was 


32  STORY     OF    THE    MADIAI. 

obliged  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  B^tfive  he  threw  him- 
self into  the  train  for  Leghorn,  where  he  arrived  at 
nine  on  Sunday  morning.  About  the  same  time, 
my  faithful  N.  N.  told  me  the  events  of  the  night, 
as  far  as  he  knew  them. 

I  felt  sure  that  A would  go  to  Leghorn, 

^'  *  so  that  N.  N.  was  sent  off  by  the 
first  train  to  know  wha1>  he  thought  of  doing.  We 
could  get  no  tidings  till  Monday  morning ;  you  may 
imagine  our  anxiety  all  the  day.  On  Monday  we 
learnt  that  he  was  safe,  and  that  he  wanted  some 
clothes  immediately,  for  he  hoped  to  get  off  soon. 
A  few  hours  after  we  heard  from  another,  that  it 
was  quite  impossible  to  get  him  a  passport;  the 
messenger  was  sent  again,  and  his  friends  had  the 
joy  to  hear  that  he  was  on  the  sea  ;  the  /io?/?,  it  is  im- 
possible to  tell — it  would  be  too  dangerous ;  suffice 
it  to  say,  that  it  was  one  of  those  remarkable  inter- 
positions which,  when  they  do  occur,  look  more  like 
romance  than  truth.  There  was  not  time  even  for 
him  to  get  his  clothes.  But  our  gracious  Father, 
who  has  so  marvellously  delivered  him,  will  still 
care  for  him.  May  all  these  sorrows  and  trials  be 
blessed  to  his  soul. 

His  dear  wife  has  had  much  anxiety.  On  that 
fatal  night,  ten  minutes  after  her  husband  had  left, 
she  heard  a  loud  knocking  at  the  door ;  being  uneasy, 
she  herself  looked  out  of  the  window,  and  asked, 
"Chi   e?"    The  wretches  replied,  "Amici."     But 


LETTERS    FROM     FLORENCE.  33 

WHAT  friends  ?  "  La  polizia."  She  refused  to  open, 
saying,  her  husband  was  out,  and  she  was  alone ;  but 
they  insisted,  and  she  was  obliged  to  obey.  Six  of 
them  came  at  once  into  her  room,  and  searched  in 
all  directions.  She  only/  thought  of  her  nice  large 
Bible,  and,  in  order  to  save  it,  threw  it  out  of  the 
window,  as  she  thought,  into  the  garden ;  but,  unfor- 
tunately, it  fell  into  a  cistern  of  water.  She  after- 
wards rescued  it,  and  tried  to  dry  the  leaves,  but  a 
second  visitation  from  the  poHce  obliged  her  to 
throw  it  into  the  fire,  and  burn  it.  The  only  things 
they  found  were,  seventy  of  a  second  edition  of  ■ 
Count  G 's  Confession,  six  of  Gladstone's  Let- 
ters, and  Lucille,'"  in  Italian  ;  but  for  this,  if  arrested, 
he  would  probably  be  sent  to  the  galleys,  and  hard 
labor !  ! 

The  gensdarmes  have  been  four  different  times 
to  the  house,  always  in  the  dead  of  the  night — the 
last  time  at  two  in  the  'morning.     They  hmited  the 

*  A  work  by  M.  Adolphe  Monod,  of  Paris.  There  is  an 
English  translation,  entitled,  "  Lucilla,  or  the  Eeading  of  the 
Bible."  Whoever  is  acriuainted  with  this  book,  must  know 
how  obnoxious  it  is  to  those  who  wish  to  hinder  God's  Word 
from  beiug  read,  or  who  deny  that  the  Spirit  of  God  can, 
and  does,  teach  the  individual  Christian  how  to  understand 
those  things  which  the  Scripture  contains.  One  of  the  most 
important  points,  with  regard  to  "  Lucille,"  is,  that  the  facts 
and  arguments  are  strictly  true ;  the  only  fiction  employed 
is,  the  introduction  of  such  names  and  localities  as  shall  con- 
ceal the  real  parties 


34  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

roof,  garden,  and  every  possible  place  for  her  hus- 
band. All  this  has,  of  course,  made  her  very  un- 
well, especially  as  she  had  hardly  recovered  from 
her  last  confinement.  That  night  numbers  were 
taken  from  their  bed  to  prison !  Some  say  sixty ; 
some,  more ;  but  as  nothing  is  made  public,  who  can 
tell  1  The  next  day  we  continually  saw  men  car- 
ried to  prison.  One  of  the  gensdarmes  had  a  Bible 
in  his  h^^id,  and  numbers  with  little  parcels  of  new 
books.  The  injustice  of  the  Government,  and  the 
misery  of  the  people,  is '  almost  beyond  endurance. 
La  Signora  Madiai,  about  a  week  since,  was  suppos- 
ed to  be  dying  in  prison,  but  she  is  still  alive,  and 
getting  better,  though  in  bed,  in  prison.  Her  hus- 
band glorifies  God  by  his  sweet  Christian  spirit. 
Yours  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  VI. 


Details  continued. — Courage  of  Signora  A ;  her  alarm 

for  lier  husband ;  succeeds  in  warning  him. — Anger  of  the 
gensdarmes ;  repeated  searches  of  the  house. — Eflorts  on 
behalf  of  Kosa  Madiai  in  her  sufferings  ;  she  and  her  hus- 
band seen  by  a  few. — Persecufion  seems  to  deter  none 
from  reading  the  Scripture. — Determination  of  Landucci 
to  put  dowTi  the  "  heresy." 

Florence,  Nov.  28,  1851. 
My  dear  L. — I  now   give  a   few  more  details 
which  I  was  obliged  to  leave  out  yesterday  ;  I  well 


LETTERS      FROM     FLORENCE.  35 

know  what  a  deep  interest  you  all  take  in  these  sad 
persecutions,  and  how  earnestly  you  bear  these  dear 
sufferers  upon  your  hearts.  How  remarkably  in 
this  history  do  we  see  the  protecting  hand  of  God 
over  his  servants,  probably  in  answer  to  the  many 
prayers   so  constantly  offered.     The  dear   wife   of 

A showed  such  courage  in  her  trial ;  when  the 

six  gensdarmes  were  making  their  search,  her  great 
anxiety  was  about  her  husband,  thinking*  he  would 
surely  return  and  be  taken ;  however  she  listened 
most  attentively  to  all  they  said ;  they  took  down 

notes  of  all  they  thought  would  criminate  A , 

but,  excepting  the  books  1  have  named,  nothmg  was 
found. 

They  asked  with  great  eagerness  when  her  hus- 
band would  come  home ;  she  replied  she  could  not 
tell,  that  sometimes  on  Saturday  ho  passed  the  night 
at  the  villa  of  some  of  the  friends  of  his  boys,  which 
is  true ;  these  gensdarmes  were  in  the  house  with 
this  poor  creature  alone  from  eleven  to  three. 
Whilst  she  was  sitting  with  them,  she  says  she 
lifted  up  her  heart  often  to  God  to  protect  her  hus- 
band ;  at  two,  when  she  heard  his  well-known  whis 
tie,  she  was  ready  to  flunt,  expecting  that'the  next 
moment  the  bell  would  ring,  and  that  she  should  have 
the  agony  of  seeing  him,  whom  she  so  much  loved, 
carried  off  to  the  Bargello  ;  still  she  dared  not  move, 
it  seemed  as  if  some  invisible  force  held  her  down ; 
at  length  she  heard  a  second  whistle,  and  as  the  men 


36  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

were  busy  writing  and  talking  together,  she  arose 
and  said,  "  Excuse  me,  I  think  my  baby  wants  me ;" 
and  went  into  another  room,  where  not  daring  to 
open  the  window,  she  made  the  sign  which  was  so 

providentially  seen  by  D ;  she  also  said  to  the 

maid,  "  Creep  down  stairs  quietly  and  say,  fly,  fly." 
This  succeeded,  but  the  dog  unfortunately  was  left 
in  the  passage,  and  began  to  bark.  The  chief  officer 
immediately   called   out,    "  AVhose   dog   is   that  f 

Madame  A said,  "  Oh  !   the   door  must   have 

been  left  open,  and  sonH  dog  is  come  in ;"  then  turn- 
ing to  the  maid,  said,  "  Go,  and  shut  it,  but  mind,  be 
attentive  if  your  master  should  return  ;"  the  poor 
thing  did  not  know  what  to  say,  the  officer  at  once 
iniderstood  the  whole  affliir ;  turning  quite  black, 
nero — 7iero — and  stamping  with  his  feet,  he  said, 
"  Ah  !  yes,  I  dare  say  he  will  take  pretty  good  care 
not  to  return."  The  gensdarmes  soon  after  went 
away. 

The  whole  of  that  night  this  poor  creature  had 
to  pass  in  the  most  cruel  anxiety.  They  have  since 
searched  the  house  three  different  times,  and  threat- 
ened her,  and  tried  to  frighten  her  ;  she  has  now,  I 
am  happy  to  say,  gone  to  her  father  and  mother ;  as 
to  the  school,  it  must,  I  suppose,  be  given  up ;  but 
the  Lord  will  care  for  them. 

Poor  dear  Eosa  Madiai  continues  so  weak  and  ill 
that,  perhaps  owing  to  the  strenuous  efforts  made  on 
•all  sides  in  her  favor,  (for  she  was  well  known,  and 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  37 

lovod  by  some  of  the  firsl^families  here  and  in  Eng- 
land, they  may  let  her  out  to  die.  Her  ilhiess  is 
entirely  occasioned  by  the  severities  of  her  impri- 
sonment, upon  a  very  delicate  constitution.  She 
may  die^  but  she  will  never  deny  her  Saviour,  or 
make  one  retrograde  step ;  no  one  but  God  can  know 
how  very  deeply  she  has  felt  her  trial,  and  how 
greatly  she  has  suffered ;  it  is  so  cruel  not  to  let 
the  poor  husband  and  wife  meet  under  these  trying 
circumstances. 

Francesco  Madiai  loves  his  wife  so  very  ten- 
derly, that  that  is  his  only  trial ;  he  says,  even  if 
they  burn  his  body,  it  is  only  his  body,  they  cannot 
touch  liis  soul.  Quite  lately  the  prison  doors  for 
these  two  have  been  opened  to  a  very  few,  I  lon'^ 
to  see  them,  but  am  not  likely  to  do  so. 

The  question  naturally  arises,  in  the  midst  of 
these  persecutions,  are  any  deterred  from  reading 
the  Word  and  following  Christ  ?  We  have  not 
heard  of  one  even ;  the  only  difference  is,  they  can- 
not meet  together  ;  but  the  work  being  of  God,  who 
can  put  it  down  1  It  is  said  that  Landucci,  the  :Min. 
ister  of  the  Interior,  has  declared  that  he  will  put 
down  the  heresy,  even  though  his  fate  should  be 
that  of  the  Duke  of  Athens." 

Yours  affectionately,     D.  K. 

*  This  historical  reference  would  be  familiarly  understood 
at  Florence.  In  1341,  while  the  Florentines  were  negocia- 
ting  with  Mastiuo  della  Scala,  Lord  of  Verona,  for  the  pur- 
4 


88  STORY     OF     THE      MADIAI 


LETTER  VII. 

Improved  health  of  Eosa  Madiai. — Her  examination  before 
the  magisti'ates. — Francesco  Madiai  sent  to  the  Murate 
prison. — InteiTiew  between  the  husband  and  wife. — Eefu- 
sal  of  bail  for  them. — Danger  incurred  by  an  advocate  in 
defending  prisoners. — Case  at  Pisa. — Prisoners  for  opi- 
nions.— Case  oi  four  such. — A 's  letter  to  his  wife. — 

His  voyage. 

Florence,  Dec.  24,  1851. 
My  dear  L. —        *         *         %         J  j^y^^  gyj.Q 
it  will  be  most  gratifying  to  you  to  hear  that  our 
Heavenly  Father  has  heard  the  many  prayers  offer- 
ed, so  far  as  in  His  wisdom  He  hath  seen  right.   Both 

chase  of  Lucca  (which  he  then  held,)  the  Pisans  seized  that 
city  by  force.  The  Florentines  to  gain  possession  of  Lucca 
had  sent  to  Eobert,  King  of  Naples,  for  aid,  and  troops  ac- 
cordingly came,  under  the  command  of  Walter  de  Brienne 
Duke  of  Athens.  He  arrived  in  1342,  just  when  the  Flo- 
rentines were  openly  disaffected  to  those  whom  they  had 
set  at  the  head  of  the  affairs  of  the  republic.  The  military 
command  was  at  once  given  to  the  Duke,  who  then  executed 
many  who  were  obnoxious  either  to  the  great  men,  or  to  the 
common  people ;  others  were  exiled,  and  others  heavily 
fined.  In  the  then  state  of  discontent  at  Florence,  this  ren- 
dered the  Duke  popular  with  all  except  the  middle  class  of 
citizens.  Having  occupied  Florence  with  foreign  troops, 
he  caused  (Sept.  8,  1342)  a  proposition  to  be  made  to  the 
people  that  the  administrative  power  should  be  given  to  him 
for  one  year;  the  people  with  acclamation  decreed  it  for 
life.  The  Duke  and  his  companions  abused  their  power  iu 
every  way ;  no  one's  life  or  property  was   safe.    At  length 


LETTERS      FROM     FLORENCE.  39 

those  Avithiii  prison,  and  those  without  are,  I  may 
say,  mercifully  sustained,  and  a  shield  of  protection 
seems  to  be  thrown  around  them  which  surprises  all 
Rosa  Madiai,  who  at  one  time  was  thought  to  be 
dymg  in  prison,  has  been  wonderfully  restored  to 
health ;  at  the  time  of  her  sickness  and  acute  suffer- 
ing she  had  an  extreme  longing  to  be  removed  from 
prison,  but  now  her  patience  is  restored,  and  she  ia 
quite  willing  to  wait  God's  time,  and  is  cheerful  and 
happy  and  full  of  firmness  and  faith.  She  has  lately 
prayed  earnestly  that  her  weak  body  may  be  strength 
ened,  lest  her  accusers  might  impute  her  bodily  weak- 
ness to  a  less  firm  and  determined  resolution,  at  all 
costs,  to  abide  by  her  confession  of  faith. 

A  few  days  since  she  was  again  called  before  her 
judges,  who  asked  her  if  she  was  the  person  accused 
of  impiety  and  blasphemy.  "  If,"  she  replied,  "  to 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  my  onl}-  Saviour 
be  this,  then  I  am  the  person,  but  let  God  judge." 
All  the  prisoners  have  lately  been  declared  criminals, 

he  caused  the  tongue  of  Bettoue  Cini  to  be  torn  out,  for 
speaking  of  him  too  freely,  and  this  act  of  cruelty  (which 
occasioned  Bettone's  death)  roused  all  Florence  against  the 
Duke.  (July  2Gth,  1343.)  The  Duke,  besieged  in  the  pal 
ace,  abdicated,  basely  surrendering  his  cempanions  to  be 
put  to  death,  on  condition  that  he  should  be  conducted 
safely  to  Casentino.     (Sept.  6.) 

Thus  "the  fate  of  the  Duke  of  Athens  "  expresses  the 
ignominy  of  one  who  is  expelled  for  lawless  cruelty,  and 
purchases  his  life  by  selliag  his  associates  to  be  executed  ! 


40  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

and  are  to  have,  I  am  most  happy  to  say,  a  public 
trial.  In  consequence  of  this  the  men  have  been 
transferred  to  another  prison,*  but  Eosa,  perhaps 
because  she  is  so  very  weak,  is  left  in  the  Bargello. 
Great  interest  was  made  that  the  husband  and 
wife  should  meet  before  he  was  removed,  and  they  , 
did  meet  in  the  presence  of  the  jailer ;  they  had  not  '^ 
seen  each  other  since  the  17th  of  August.  It  was 
sadly  affecting,  for  the  husband  also  has  been  lately 
ill,  and  is  very  much  bent  from  suffering ;  he  has,  I 
am  sorry  to  say,  a  liver  complaint,  wliich  close  con- 
finement greatly  increases ;  they  encouraged  each 
other,  and  were  thankful  to  be  counted  worthy  to 
testify  for  their  Lord  and  Master  whom  they  love. 
The  highest  interest  has  been  exerted  on  their  behalf 
to  let  them  out  on  bail,  but  they  are  criminals  and 
cannot  be  let  out  of  prison.  Now  they  desire  to  get 
the  best  defence  they  can,  and  w^e  think  Maggiorani, 
though  young,  will  prove  as  able  an  advocate  as 
any.  In  this  country  it  is  difficult,  for  a  man  may 
ruin  himself  in  defending  another.  It  was  only  a  few 
weeks  since  that  a  lawyer  in  defending  a  case  at 
Pisa,  observed  upon  the  ill  conduct  of  a  gensdarme, 

*  Francesco  Madi&i  was  now  sent  to  the  Murate  prison, 
which  is  professedly  on  the  plan  of  that  at  Pentonville ;  the 
Peutonville  prison,  however,  is  for  those  who  have  been  con- 
victed and  sentenced;  whereas  Francesco  Madiai  was  sub- 
jected to  this  severe  and  solitary  confinement  preparatory 
to  trial. 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  41 

and  though  perfectly  true,  he  has  been  sent  to  prison 
for  twelve  months.  How  then  can  we  expect  men 
to  risk  so  much  ?  Nevertheless  every  effort  will  be 
made  to  get  the  best  pleader.  The  day  of  the  trial 
is  not  yet  fixed,  for  they  like  to  keep  them  in  prison 
as  long  as  possible.  It  is  quite  sure  that  whatever  the 
skill  of  the  defence  may  be,  the  sentence  is  already 
fixed !     But   the   trial  will   arouse   public  opinion. 

The  report  is  that  the  prisons  are  full,  and  mostly 
with  persons  put  in  for  opinions  ;  many  are  what  are 
here  called  Liberals,  but  what  in  our  country  would 
almost  be  called  Conservatives ;  most  of  these  poor 
fellows  read  the  Bible,  and  some  of  them,  through  tho 
grace  of  God,  have  become  true  Christians. 

I  heard  a  few  days  since  a  touching  story  of  four 
of  them.  They  had  been  kept  in  prison  for  eight 
months  unjudged,  and  were  then  tried  and  found  guilty 
and  sentenced  to  a  year's  hard  labor ;  they  were  re- 
proached for  being  Uvangelici,  and  for  having  been 
present  at  a  religious  meeting ;  they  replied  that  if  they 
had  been,  they  would  have  confessed  it,  for  they  were 
children  of  the  Gospel.  How  many  more  such 
may  still  be  suffering  in  bonds,  unknown  to  us. 

I  will  conclude  this  letter  with  the  sequel  of 

A 's  story.    I  related  how  wonderfully  the  Lord 

had  shielded  him  from  danger,  and  had  put  it  into 
the  heart  of  a  Christian  Captain  to  take  liim  with 

him.     A has  written  one  of  the  most  beautiful 

letters  I  ever  perused,  to  his  wife.  When  on  board, 
4* 


42  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

he  says,  he  prayed ;  oh !  how  he  prayed — he  felt  as 
if  he  had  never  prayed  before,  and  he  earnestly 
entreated  his  wife  to  cast  every  burden  on  the  Lord; 
his  trials,  together  with  the  naanifest  goodness  of  the 
Lord,  have  awakened  in  his  soul  feelings  which 
he  had  never  felt  before,  and  have  deepened  those 
that  he  had.  All  indignation,  so  natural  to  his 
character,  seems  quite  gone  and  changed  into  the 
deepest  sorrow  for  his  beloved  country,  and  the 
most  earnest  prayer  for  her  deliverance. 

They  encountered  storms  at  sea,  and  at  one  time 
were  nearly  lost,  still  he  had  not  one  moment's  fear 
— ^he  was  ever  calm  and  peaceful.    The  ship  did  not 

intend  to  go  to  Q ,  but  owing  to  contrary  winds 

they  came  within  sight  of  the  land  ;  the  captain  then 
asked  him  if  he  would  like  to  be  landed  ?  he  replied, 
*'  Yes."  Accordingly  he  was  landed  one  night  alone, 
on  that  far  distant  shore,  poor  fellow  !  yet  his  heart 
was  full  of  gratitude  for  his  deliverance,  and  of 
thankfulness  for  the  great  kindness  he  had  received ; 
he  had  a  letter  to  some  kind  friend  there,  whom  he 
happily  found,  and  now  he  is  provided  for ;  in  course 
of  time  probably  his  wife  and  children  will  follow  him. 

This  touching  letter  has  been  read  by  some  of 

A 's  friends,  not  many,  and  yet  the  police  have 

heard  of  it,  and  the  wife  was  obliged  to  get  rid  of  it 
to  a  stranger  who  is  not  suspected,  to  keep  for  her, 
for  she  could  not  burn  it. 

And  now,  beloved  L ,  farewell.     Tell  our 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  43 

friends  that  they  have  comforted  and  sustained  many- 
hearts  by  their  prayers  and  sympathy.  It  is  a  sweet 
and  precious  thought  that  you  have  so  kindly  remem- 
bered, before  the  Lord,  all  who  so  greatly  need  to 
be  remembered,  and  that  so  many  dear  to  Christ  are 
fellow-workers  with  llirn  in  this  service;  there  is 
great  need  for  a  continuance  of  your  prayers,  that 
the  light  may  not  be  quenched  through  the  wiles  of 
Satan  and  evil  men. 

Yours,  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  VIII. 


Eeference  to  another  case  of  suffering. — Two  persons  im- 
prisoned through  the  Priests. — Trial  of  the  Madiai  put 
off  till  March. — Arrangements  for  A 's  wife  and  child- 
ren to  join  him  in  Febiiiary. — January  21.  The  two  per- 
sons acquitted  by  one  court. 

Florence,  January  20,  1852. 

My  dear  L. — I  hope  you  received  my  last, 
detailing  a  new  case  of  suffering — two  persons  ar- 
rested at  the  sick  bed  of  a  friend,  it  is  true  they  im- 
prudently let  the  Priests  know  their  sentiments, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  after  both  were  in  the  Bar- 
gello  ;  as  yet  we  have  not  been  able  to  get  tidings, 
but  we  hope  to  hear  something  this  evening.  I  am 
sorry  to  say  the  trial  of  the  Madiai  is  not  likely  to 
come  on  now  before  March. 

If  the  trial  is  printed,  I  will  be  sure  and  send  you 


44  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

a  paper ;  we  mean  to  go  and  hear  it  if  it  is  public. 
Maggiorani,  who  is  thought  to  be  a  first-rate  pleader, 
has  undertaken  it,  though  every  one  -is  quite  certain 
that  the  sentence  is  already  determined  upon,  and  as 
events  have  taken  such  an  adverse  turn  we  fear 
greatly ;  but  they  cannot  go  beyond  the  will  of  the 
Lord.  These  dear  persons  have  already  made  much 
progress  in  spiritual  life  since  their  imprisonment,  so 
that  I  hear  that  it  is  a  real  refreshment  to  see  them ; 
I  never  hope  to  have  this  comfort,  because  fresh 
orders  have  been  given  not  to  admit  visitors. 

I  hear  that  A is  extremely  liked  at  Q , 

but  they  say  that  when  alone  his  spirits  sink  very 
much,  he  is  so  attached  to  his  wife  and  children,  as 
well  as  having  a  most  ardent  love  for  his  country 
and  a  great  desire  for  her  moral  improvement.  I 
am  happy  to  tell  you  that  arrangements  are  in  hand 
to  send  his  wife  and  two  little  boys  the  beginning  of 
February ;  the  little  one  at  nurse  will  be  left  in  the 
care  of  its  relations. 

***** 

I  am  so  thankful  to  think  that  the  circumstances 

which  caused  such  sorrow  and  trial  here  have  been 

a  link  to  unite  Christians  together  amongst  you ;  I 

quite  believe  we  have  an  abundant  answer  to  your 

prayers ;  there  is  more  grace  to  endure,  more  quiet 

steady  determination  to  follow  on  to  know  God. 
***** 

January  21.     Yesterday  evening  we  heard  that 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  45 

one  court  had  absolved  the  two  men  I  spoke  of;  it 
is  well,  however,  to  remember  that  two  courts  also 
absolved  Guicciardini  and  the  six  arrested  with  him, 
but  they  were,  nevertheless,  afterwards  punished  by 
the  police,  so  we  fear  it  will  be  in  this  case. 

Yours,  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  IX. 


Prayers  for  the  sufferers.  —  Continued  trials. — The  two 
arrested  on  account  of  the  sick  man. — Florence  a  city 
quite  Catholic,  Apostolic  and  Roman. — Arrangements  for 

A 's  wife  and  children  to  join  her  husband. — Case  of 

a  woman  whose  husband  is  in  prison ;  reviled  for  believing 
in  God. — Evangelica  or  Sabina. 

Florence,  January  30,  1852. 

]\Iy  DEAR  L. — I  cannot  express  to  you  how  much 
it  rejoices  my  heart  to  hear  tliat  you  so  continually 
remember  all  the  dear  persecuted  ones  at  Florence, 
and  that  such  a  Catholic  spirit  is  exhibited  ;  that  so 
many  dear  to  the  Lord  join  in  sympathy,  prayer 
and  help.  Be  assured,  dear  L.  they  feel  the  effects 
of  your  prayers  according  to  God's  o^^ti  -svill,  not  in 
deliverance  out  of  oppression,  but  in  His  granting 
grace  to  endure,  and  in  their  increased  courage  to 
confess  Christ  as  their  only  Saviour. 

Feeling,  as  I  do,  the  oneness  of  spirit  which 
unites  us,  I  always  desire  to  let  you  know  when  any 
fresh  sorrow  and  trial  happens,  that  you  may  be 


40  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

able  to  present  those  things  before  our  Heavenly 
Father,  and  thus  help  them  in  their  time  of  need. 
The  poor  little  flock  continues  to  be  so  driven  about, 
persecuted,  exiled,  imprisoned,  that  one's  heart  would 
almost  fail  did  we  not  know  that  God  is  stronger  than 
man,  and  that  man  cannot  go  beyond  God's  will. 
The  two  men  arrested  on  account  of  the  sick  man  are 
still  in  prison,  and  will  probably  be  exiled,  but  when? 
One  of  them  is  known  to  have  fetched  the  Swiss 
minister  to  the  dying  man,  and  this  is  a  venj  great 
crime,  and  moreover  he  has  declared  himself  Evan- 
gelical, and  that  Evangelical  he  will  remain.  The 
magistrates  say  they  will  not  have  such  people  in 
Florence — a  city  quite  Catholic,  Apostolic  and  Ro- 
man ;  they  are  determined  to  put  down  the  heresy. 

You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  A 's  wife  and 

her  two  children  will  now  soon  join  her  husband  ;  she 
has  had  no  difficulty  in  getting  her  passport,  which 
they  were  almost  afraid  would  have  been  refused 
her.  Poor  thing !  she  goes  away  with  many  mixed 
feelings ;  delighted  to  go  to  her  beloved  husband, 
and  yet  it  seems  as  if  taking  a  last  farewell  of  mother, 
father,  country  and  friends ;  still  to  be  free  to  bring 
up  their  children  according  to  their  own  faith  is  a 
great  blessing. 

I  am  afraid  the  Madiai's  trial  will  not  come  on 
before  March ;  but  they  seem  to  increase  in  patience 
and  faith,  and  submission  to  God's  will.  This  is  a 
blessed  fruit  of  tribulation.     Addio  for  the  present. 


LETTERS   FROM  FLORENCE.       47 

Saturday.  I  heard  last  evening  that  a  woman 
whose  husband  is  in  prison,  had  again  been  examined 
by  the  Delagato,  this  functionary,  like  many  others, 
regularly  abuses  the  poor  people,  and  he  was  not  at 
all  sparing  in  bad  names  to  her ;  she  has  a  good  deal 
of  intelligence,  and  answered  very  well.  She  asked 
to  have  her  husband's  watch  to  put  it  in  pawn.  "  Oh, 
you  pretend  to  be  poor  do  you  ?"  She  happened  to 
say  that  God  would  help  her ;  "  Oh,  you,  then,  are 
one  who  believes  in  God  ?"  Fancy  a  magistrate  say- 
ing this  in  what  is  called  a  Qn-istian  country.  "  ] 
dare  say  you  are  Evangelici  P  "  No,  Eccellenza," 
she  replied,  "I  am  called  Sabina."  She  quite  under- 
stood what  she  was  saying. 

Thus  you  see,  dear  L.  the  state  of  Florence  at 
present.  There  is  much,  very  much  to  be  thankful 
for,  and  much  to  keep  one  in  constant  prayer  and 
dependence  upon  God,  for  each  day  we  know  not 
what  may  happen  next. 

*  *  -s-  *  * 

What  can  we  say  to  a  Government,  which  instead 
of  seeking  to  improve  the  people,  tries  in  every  way 
to  corrupt  them,  and  by  every  bait  to  tempt  them  to 
become  spies ;  there  are  many  affecting  instances  of 
these  temptations  when  driven  almost  to  despair  by 

want  or  oppression,  and  then  they  fall  into  the  snare. 

*  -it  *  *  * 

Yours,  aftectionately,         D.  K. 


48  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 


LETTER  X. 

Preparations  for  the  trial  of  the  Madiai. — February  26. 
Sentence  on  the  two  men  before  mentioned.  Acquitted 
by  the  tiibunals,  but  sentenced  by  the  police. — Extracts 
from  the  decreto. 

Florence,  February  2,  1852. 
My  dear  L. —  *  %  *  There  are  now 
long  folios  ready  for  the  Madiai's  trial.  Maggiorani 
is  said  to  be  an  able  pleader ;  if  he  does  justice  to  his 
subject,  it  will  indeed  be  a  most  interesting  trial,  but 
can  he  know  his  Bible  sufficiently  1   Now  they  say  it 

cannot  come  on  until  the  end  of  March. 

%  *  %  %  * 

February  26th         ^'         '^         We  are  greatly 
in  hopes  that  the  trial  will  now  come  on  soon,  for  all 
the  lawyers  have  finished  some  little  time,  and  it 
only  remains  for  the  Government  to  fix  the  day. 
*  *  *  %  * 

Tlie  two  men  who  were  imprisoned  on  the  sick 
man's  account  eight  weeks  ago,  have  received  their 
sentence.  The  Tribunale  della  Prima  Istanza  entire- 
ly acquited  both ;  then  the  police,  under  that  edict 
of  April,  1851,  condemned  both — one  to  be  forever 
banished  Tuscany,  the  other  to  six  months'  imprison- 
ment in  the  fortress  of  Piombino.  I  send  you  a  few 
sentences  extracted  from  this  last  decreto.  "  The  ex- 
istence of  a  secret  association  is  proved,  to  insinuate 
and  spread  sentiments  and  principles  contrary  to  the 


LETTERS     FROM      FLORENCE.  49 

fundamental  dogmas  and  precepts  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Apostolic  religion,  with  the  scope  of  over- 
throwing more  easily,  by  this  means,  the  actual  poli- 
tical order  of  the  different  States  of  Italy.  *  *  * 
It  is  evident  the  part  that  the  young  man  has  taken 
in  this  plot  to  alter  the  religion  of  the  State ;  his  own 
confession  affords  an  undoubted  proof  of  his  apostacy ; 
declaring  that  he  belongs  to  the  Protestant  Evangeli 
cal  sect,  many  Anti-Catholic  books  found  in  his  pos- 
session, and  his  repeated  attempts,  as  imprudent  as 
they  are  detestable,  to  hinder  the  dying  man  from 
having  the  succors  of  our  religion,  and  for  having  in- 
stead, procured  liim  the  assistance  of  a  pastor  of  the 
Evangelical  Reformed  Church. 

***** 

The  old  man  is  charged  *  *  *  *  ^^-j^ 
the  impiety  of  his  frequent  visits  ^\'ith  the  young 
man  to  the  house  of  the  sick  man,  during  the  illness 
of  this  same  sick  man ;  and  the  old  man's  confessed 
apostacy,  professing  himself  a  follower  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Reformed  worship  *  *  *  his 
co-operation  in  machinations  to  overthrow  the  reli- 
gion of  the  State  *  *  *  *  on  tliis 
account  they  are  sentenced,"  as  before  mentioned. 
***** 

Your  remembrance  of  the  poor  persecuted  ones 

is  quite  touching;  the  Lord  judges  the  heart  and 

sees  the  desire  to  sympathize  and  help ;  indeed,  the 

friends  in  England  have  been  a  great  blessing  to  the 

5 


50  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

tried  ones  here,  for  surely  blessing  in  answer  to 
prayer  is  no  small  boon. 

Yours  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  XI. 


Carrying  out  of  the  sentence  on  the  two  men  ;  the  one  ban- 
ished ;  the  other  taken  to  Piombino  to  be  imprisoned  in 
the  fortress. 

Florence,  February  28, 1852. 
My  Dear  L.— ^*  -^  ^  I  told  you  in  my 
last  the  condemnation  of  the  two  persons  on  account 
of  the  sick  man.  The  old  man  has  been  allowed  a 
week  to  settle  his  affairs ;  he  has  behaved  very  well 
— most  firm  and  courageous.  The  Government  re- 
fused the  petition  for  the  punishment  of  the  other  to 
be  commuted  into  exile,  so  to-morrow  morning  he 
is  to  be  conveyed  to  the  fortress  of  Piombino.  The 
poor  mother  said,  with  big  tears  rolling  do^^^l  her 
cheeks,  "  to  think  that  my  son  should  be  conveyed 
all  across  the  town,  and  to  Piombino,  in  the  midst 
of  carabinieri,  like  a  common  felon  ;"  we  tried  to 
comfort  her  by  recalling  how  the  Apostles,  and 
even  our  Lord  himself  had  been  treated,  and  that 
no  shame  could  attach  to  this,  that  it  was  rather  an 
honor  to  suffer  so  distinctly  for  the  Lord's  sake. 
We  understand  that  he  has  answered  with  the  ut- 
most boldness  and  decision,  refusing  to  answer  what 
he  did  not  choose  to  answer.     These  things  make 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  51 

one  feel  the  reality  of  one's  faith,  how  in  the  midst 
of  all,  God  gives  his  peace,  and  his  sustaining  grace  ; 
how  brightly  shines  out  the  faith  of  these  poor  peo- 
ple. The  numbers  increase  every  day,  I  hear  ;  and 
it  is  a  great  refreshment,  I  am  told,  to  watch  the 
progress  of  many  of  these  dear  Christians. 

Yours  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  XII. 


"Witnesses  against  the  Madiai ;  ingratitude  of  a  faniily 
whom  they  had  aided. — April  15.  The  trial  still  post- 
poned.— Francesco's  Letter. — Day  named  for  the  ti'ial, 
April  27. 

Flore.vce,  March  20,  1852. 

My  Dear  L. — I  told  you  that  the  large  folios 
had  been  -wTitten  for  the  trial  of  the  Madiai ;  when 
for  the  first  time  it  was  ascertamed  who  were  the 
witnesses  against  them.  Besides  that  wicked  girl 
from  Lucca,  a  family  have  come  forward  against 
them  whom  they  rescued  from  the  most  abject  pov- 
erty; though  certainly  not  rich  themselves,  they 
supplied  them  continually  from  their  own  table,  and 
were  unwearied  in  recommending  them,  on  account 
of  their  poverty,  to  the  compassion  of  others;  but 
these  ungrateful  creatures  have  brought  forward 
some  of  the  strongest  evidences  against  them ;  false 
witnesses  of  course  they  are,  and  this  either  through 
feai',  or  for  gain.     I  should  tliink  the  latter,  for  the 


(52  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

family  are  suddenly  become  very  well  off;  there 
are  many  others,  taken  from  the  lowest  class,  but 
always  from  among  those  to  whom  they  had  shown 
khidness  and  compassion !  Alas !  alas  !     .       .       . 

April  15th.  You  see  March  is  ended,  and  still 
the  trial  is  not  come  on ;  and  these  poor  creatures 
are  still  lingering  out  their  lives,  in  their  solitary 
cells,  but  still  sustained  by  our  Heavenly  Father. 
I  accidentally  saw  a  letter  of  Francesco's  the  other 
day,  which  a  friend  had  translated ;  it  so  shows  the 
guilelessness,  and  simplicity  of  his  character,  that  I 
will  enclose  it  for  your  perusal.*  Never  for  one  mo- 
ment has  this  poor  man  been  cast  down  in  his  spirit, 
his  body  has  often  suffered,  but  it  is  one  continued 
outpouring  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God,  to 
think  that  such  as  he  should  be  counted  worthy  to 
suffer  for  Christ ;  his  long  imprisonment  tells  upon 
him,  poor  fellow,  for  his  face  quite  twitches  with 
nervousness,  and  yet  such  calmness,  such  joy,  such 
submission ;  truly  it  must  be  a  privilege  to  see  him. 
I  should  think  that  all  who  came  near  him,  must 
feel  the  silent  power  of  his  testimony.  It  is  now 
positively  said  that  the  trial  will  come  on  on  the 
27th  of  this  month.  May  it  be  so  ;  and  may  this 
long  and  sad  imprisonment  shortly  afterwards  be 
ended. 

Yours  affectionately,  D.  K. 

*  See  the  following  Letter. 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  53 

LETTER  XIII. 

From  Francesco  Madiai  to  H.  E. 

His  arrival  at  Florence  when  16. — Conduct  of  his  Confes- 
eor. — Nineteen  years  of  unsatisfactory  ideas  on  religion. 
— Reads  the  English  Prayer  Book ;  goes  to  America ; 
his  first  Communion,  Trinity  Church,  Boston.— Eetums 

to  Florence  ;  goes  to  Rome  Avith  the  Misses  J ;  meets 

Rosa  Pulini ;    she  explains  the  Bible  to  him. — Marries 
Rosa  Pulini. — His  Prayers. 

Now  I  wish  to  tell  you  something  in  a  few 
words,  but  as  I  am  very  ignorant,  I  pray  you  to 
pardon  me.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  I  came  to  Flo- 
rence to  be  cured  of  a  liver  complaint ;  I  was  cured 
by  Professor  Mazzini,  who  afterwards  ordered  me 
to  eat  meat  every  day.  Easter  falling  soon  after,  I 
went  to  perform  my  devotions  in  the  Cathedral ; 
and  having  eaten  meat,  as  the  doctor  had  ordered 
me,  I  wished  to  tell  this  to  my  confessor.  Accord- 
ingly, I  went  to  a  canon  (whom  I  have  already 
named  in  my  examination.)  When  he  heard  that  I 
had  eaten  meat,  he  turned  on  me  like  a  barbarian, 
saying,  "Thou  art  damned  in  body  and  soul,"  and 
then  shut  to  the  door  in  my  face,  so  enraged  was  he. 
From  that  time,  I  was  nineteen  years  without  know- 
ing of  what  religion  I  was :  still,  however,  I  went  to 
Church,  but  I  did  not  feel  that  I  was  satisfactorily 
performing  my  Christian  duties.  The  time  now 
came  when  1  went  on  my  travels,  and  the  Holy 
5* 


54  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

Scriptures  were  made  a  little  kno\vii  to  me  ;  and  al- 
though I  understood  them  very  imperfectly,  I  saw 
that  the  Priests  had  deceived  me.  At  last  I  was 
able  to  read  a  little  of  the  English  Prayer  Book, 
and  then  my  mind  became  calmer.  I  now  went  to 
America  to  see  my  brother,  and  I  had  there  forty 
lessons  in  the  English  language.  Then  I  was  al- 
most entirely  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  that  religion, 
and  I  made  my  first  communion  in  Trinity  Church, 
Boston.*  This  was  in  1840:  but  all  this  was  still 
but  little  for  me,  seeing  that  I  understood  so  im- 
perfectly the  English  language. 

I  now  returned  to  Florence,  and  there  met  the 

Misses  J with   a   governess.     I   accompanied 

them  as  courier,  to  Eome.  We  left  the  governess 
and  took  La  Pulini  (afterwards  my  wife.)  We  then 
went  on  to  Naples,  and  afterwards  returned  to  the 
Baths  of  Lucca,  where  we  spent  the  summer.  I 
took  with  me  a  small  box  of  English  books,  which 
I  showed  to  La  Pulina,  and  she  exclaimed,  ''What 
good  books  thou  hast  got  there !"  I  asked  her  if 
she  would  explain  to  me  a  few  chapters  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  she  said  she  could  do  so  after  tea,  as 
during  the  day-time  she  had  much  work  to  do  for 
the  ladies.  After  tea  then  I  used  to  read  a  chapter, 
which  she  explained  to  me  in  Italian.  You  may 
miagine  with  what  pleasure  I  heard  explained  the 
word  of  God  for  the  first  time.     Then  was  there 

*  One  of  the  Episcopalian  Churches  of  that  city. 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  55 

nourished  in  me  more  and  more  the  love  of  the 
Scriptures,  but  still  I  professed  nothing. 

We  went  afterwards  to  Florence,  and  there  we 
parted  with  La  Pulini.  She  dwelt  not  greatly  in 
my  imagination,  but  in  the  evenhigs  I  thought  ol 
her  and  her  good  explanations. 

Not  long  afterwards  I  left  my  situation,  and 
married  Rosa  Pulhii ;  and  I  may  m  truth  say  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  reigned  in  me  and  my  wife  ;  but 
we  did  not  yet  know  His  secret ;  but  I  am  certain 
we  knew  it  after  some  time,  and  sure  I  am  that  we 
became  very  zealous  for  the  Word  of  God,  and  so 
shall  we  ever  be  (God  willing.)    Amen. 

I  should  like  the  Misses to  be  told  that  I 

send  them  my  grateful  thanks  for  their  kindness  and 
bounty  to  me  :  I  have  no  other  recompense  to  offer 
them.  I  wish  them  to  know  that  from  the  time  I 
first  knew  them,  I  ever  felt  towards  them  much  at- 
tachment, (such  as  a  servant  ought  to  have  for  his 
employers.)  I  forget  no  one  ;  I  pray  for  my  ene- 
mies ;  and  especially  do  I  pray  for  all  my  brethren, 
and  for  those  who  have  shown  us  so  much  kmdness. 
I  pray  God  to  shower  do\vn  upon  them  His  most 
precious  blessmgs,  temporal  and  eternal. 

Francesco  Madiai. 

March,  1852,  Murate  Prison. 


66  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 


LETTER  XIV. 

Trial  again  put  oiF.  —  Annoyance  to  the  Prisoners.  — 
Francesco's  calmness ;  Kosa's  grief. — They  meet  for  a 
moment. 

Florence,  April  28,  1852.  f 
My  Dear  L. — Alas !  alas  !  I  have  nothing  but 
disappointment  and  sorrow  to  communicate,  but  I 
will  begin  my  story  regularly.  At  nine  o'clock 
yesterday  morning  the  prisoners  were  severally 
brought  from  their  different  prisons,  and  lodged 
in  different  rooms  to  wait  until  called  for. 
Many  persons  interested  in  the  case  were  in 
court  at  an  early  hour.  After  waiting  some  time 
it  was  said,  that  the  cause  must  be  put  off  for  a 
few  hours,  but  that  it  would  come  on  at  three. 
Numbers  left  and  returned  at  that  hour,  but  after 
waiting  some  time  they  were  at  last  told  that  the 
case  was  put  off  indefinitely,  in  consequence  of  the 
illness  of  one  of  the  principal  witnesses.  Few  be- 
lieved in  this  illness,  but  thought  it  was  only  an  ex- 
cuse for  some  sinister  purpose,  so  little  is  there  of 
integrity  and  justice  in  the  country  now. 

You  may  imagine  the  vexation  and  disappoint- 
ment this  occasioned  to  all ;  but  how  much  more  to 
the  poor  prisoners  themselves  !  Maggiorani  had  to 
communicate  these  sad  tidings  to  them.  In  doing 
so,  he  tried  to  cheer  them  with  a  hope,  which  per- 
haps he  hardly  felt  himself,  that  it  would  be  merely 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  57 

a  month's  delay.  Still,  to  go  back  to  prison,  in  the 
same  uncertainty  in  which  they  had  been  kept  there 
long  long  months,  was  no  small  trial. 

Francesco  received  the  news  with  his  accus 
ton\ed  calmness  and  resignation,  merely  saying, 
"  Tlie  will  of  the  Lord  be  done."  He  had,  during 
that  long  day,  occupied  himself  in  walking  up  and 
down  the  horrid  room  he  was  put  into,  repeating 
Psalms,  chiefly  the  cxvi.  Rosa  received  the  intel- 
ligence with  great  grief — she  was  completely  over- 
come by  it,  for  she  had  so  buoyed  up  her  hopes, 
she  had  so  looked  on  to  this  day,  as  ending  her  un- 
certainty, and  perhaps  secretly  hoping  it  might  put 
a  term  to  her  dreadful  imprisonment.  I  must  not 
forget  to  tell  you,  that  once  during  the  day  the  poor 
husband  and  wife  met  for  an  instant.  They  were 
confined,  as  you  know,  in  separate  rooms,  and 
guarded  ;  but  both  doors  happened  to  be  opened  at 
the  same  time,  and  they  rushed  into  each  other's 
arms.  They  were  again  instantly  separated ;  but 
tlie  comfort  of  this  moment's  interview  greatly  con- 
soled them.  All  night  long  poor  Rosa  has  been  ill 
— she  has  now  fever,  and  is  suffering  greatly.  They 
need  your  prayers. 

Yours,  affectionately,  D.  K. 


58  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 


LETTER  XV. 

Hopes  that  the  trial  may  come  on  soon. — Maggiorani's 
diligence. — Question  as  to  the  application  of  the  law. 
— Rosa's  improved  health. 

Florence,  May  20,  1852. 

My  Dear  L. —  ...  It  is  still  hoped  that  the 
trial  will  come  on  during  this  month,  but  if  not,  it 
will  surely  be  early  in  June.  In  the  mean  time 
the  advocate,  Maggiorani,  is  using  the  time  most  dili- 
gently, in  seeking  out  other  important  'witnesses  for 
the  accused.  It  is  evident,  from  all  we  hear,  that 
the  Government  is  determmed  to  make  the  worst 
case  possible  against  the  prisoners.  The  most  im- 
partial lawyers  affirm  that  the  law  of  '86,  upon 
which  they  pretend  to  judge  them,  is  not  applicable 
to  the  case  ;  nevertheless,  we  fear  all  will  be  over- 
ruled to  please  the  priests.  Francesco  still  conti- 
nues in  a  most  lovely  and  tranquil  spirit.  Rosa  is 
greatly  better  in  health,  and  is  again  become  peace- 
ful in  her  spirit.  I  will  add  no  more,  for  in  a  few 
days  I  hope  to  give  you  the  results  of  the  trial. 

Yours,  affectionately,  D.  K. 


LETTERS  FROM   FLORENCE.      59 


LETTER  XVI. 

The  Trial  :  commences  June  5. — The  prisoners  meet  in 
the  dock, — The  attorney-general  proposes  that  the  trial 
be  private. — Some  have  permission  to  stay. — Witnesses 
for  the  prosecution  prepared  by  the  priests. — Papers  and 
tracts  read. — Francesco's  answers;  forbidden  to  quote 
Scripture. — Conduct  of  both  the  Madiai. — Proceedings 
against  them  last  two  days. — Witnesses  for  the  Madiai. 
— Questions  put  to  Francesco  as  to  his  religious  profes- 
sion.— Rosa's  answers. — Maggiorani's  speech. — Reply  of 
the  attorney-general ;  he  suggests  the  sentence  to  the 
judges. — Deliberation  of  the  judges,  June  7  and  8. — Sen- 
tence on  the  Madiai. — How  received  by  them ;  their 
separation. 

Florence,  June  8,  1852. 

Mr  DEAR  L. — I  hasten  to  send  you  a  few  lines 
to  make  you  acquainted  with  the  result  of  the  trial 
of  Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai,  after  nearly  ten 
months'  close  imprisonment.  It  commenced  on  the 
5th,  and  ended  this  day  at  half-past  three,  P.  M.  For 
some  time  before,  Rosa  had  manifested  great  calm- 
ness and  rest  of  spirit,  and  seemed  much  more  than 
usually  happy  in  the  Lord. 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  June  the  long  ex- 
pected trial  of  Madiai  and  his  wife  commenced ; 
they  were  placed  in  the  dock,  guarded  by  several 
gensdarmes  on  each  side  of  them;  they  looked  calm 
and  dignified,  and  quietly  awaited  the  entrance  of  the 
lawyers,  and  bench  of  six  judges,  who  acted  as  jury, 


60  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

as  well  as  judges.  Francesco  appeared  much  pleased 
at  once  more  seeing  his  wife,  and  pressed  her  hand. 
The  attorney-general  opened  the  case,  and  first  pro- 
posed that  the  trial  should  be  private ;  this  being 
agreed  to  by  the  judges,  the  court  was  cleared  of  all 
the  reporters,  and  most  of  the  Italians  ;  several  Eng- 
lish, and  some  of  the  Italian  Christians,  were  allowed 
to  remain,  about  eighty  or  one  hundred  having,  like 
myself,  obtained  permission  from  one  of  the  secre- 
taries to  stay ;  and  there  were  also  a  great  many 
priests  present.  Witnesses  for  the  prosecution  were 
next  examined  by  the  judges,  and  in  a  way  that 
clearly  showed  the  sentence  on  the  Madiai  had  al- 
ready been  determined  on.  Words  were  often  put 
into  witnesses'  mouths  when  they  seemed  at  a  loss, 
and  they  professed  to  remember  nothing  when  their 
evidence  was  contrary  to  the  written  statement 
which  had  been  taken  down  from  their  lips  on  pre- 
vious examinations.  I  could  not  but  be  astonished 
at  the  bare-faced  shamelessness  with  which  the  bench 
thus  carried  on  the  prosecution.  All  seemed  to 
have  one  body  and  one  mind,  owing  to  the  way  in 
which  they  had  been  prepared  by  the  priests. 

In  the  course  of  this  examination  Count  Guicci- 
ardini's  confession  of  faith  was  read  out,  and  many 
tracts  which  had  been  found  in  the  Madiai's  rooms 
were  also  read  out  in  full ;  and  a  picture  likewise 
found  there  which  represented  the  errors  of  Popery 
contrasted  with  texts  of  ScripturCj  was  produced, 


LETTERS   FROM  FLORENCE.      61 

and  the  texts,  &c.  which  were  in  English,  translat- 
ed into  Italian.  Thus,  much  truth  reached  the  ears  of 
the  judges  and  audience.  Francesco  also  frequently 
quoted  Scripture  when  he  was  asked  about  his  reli- 
gious opinions,  and  this  made  the  judges  very  angry, 
and  the  president  frequently  forbade  him  to  quote 
the  Bible,  as  they  did  not  wish  to  hear  his  religious 
dogmas.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  Christian  beha- 
vior of  both  Francesco  and  Rosa.  She  was  very 
particularly  sustained,  and  all  who  heard  her  fre- 
quently exclaimed  in  a  whisper,  w^ith  how  much  dig- 
nity and  propriety  she  gave  her  answers,  especially 
when  one  of  the  judges  wished  to  confuse  her  by  a 
series  of  irrelevant  cross  questions ;  several  times 
she  silenced  him  by  her  replies,  amidst  evident  sen- 
sation throughout  the  court ;  and  once  he  threw  him- 
self back  in  his  chair  in  complete  confusion,  when 
she  was  declaring  in  what  her  change  of  religion 
consisted.  Madiai  also,  in  questioning  some  of  the 
witnesses,  spoke  to  them  in  a  very  Christian  and 
even  tender  way,  lamenting  their  unfaithfulness 
and  the  falsehood  they  uttered.  To  one  he  said, 
"  Go,  my  chains  are  of  much  greater  value  than  all 
the  false  evidence  w^hich  thou  hast  given  against 
me."  Upon  which  the  president  of  the  court,  in  a 
rage,  told  him  "  not  to  make  a  martyr  of  himself, 
and  not  to  utter  one  word  more  than  was  necessary, 
especially  before  a  Catholic  public." 

The  exammation  against  them  lasted  two  days, 
6 


62  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

and  some  clever  legal  men  declared  that  there  was 
not  one  ivord  or  incident  which  in  any  way  ren- 
dered them  guilty — supposing  even  all  that  had 
been  said  against  them  was  true.  Afterwards  the 
judges  examined  the  witnesses  for  the  Madiai,  and 
their  manner  of  giving  testimony  was  a  striking 
contrast  to  that  of  the  witnesses  against  them,  as 
they  spoke  boldly,  and  fearlessly,  and  openly,  and 
proved  by  the  manner  of  their  giving  evidence  that 
they  were  speaking  the  truth  ;  they  proved  that  the 
Madiai  had  ever  respected  the  opinions  of  others, 
and  had  by  no  means  attempted  to  proselyte  to 
their  own  opinions,  in  the  manner  that  their  accusers 
conte7ided — for  conversion,  they  said,  can  only  be 
from  God;  moreover,  this  testimony  brought  to 
light  most  beautiful  traits  of  Christian  love  and 
conduct  in  the  accused,  and  nothing  appeared  which 
could  in  any  way  dim  the  integrity  of  their  private 
life.  In  the  course  of  the  defence  Madiai  was  asked 
"  if  he  was  not  born  in  the  bosom  of  our  Holy 
Mother,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  1"  He  answered, 
"  Yes,  but  I  am  now  an  Evangelical  Christian." 
"  Who  made  you  such,  and  does  any  act  of  abjura- 
tion exist  in  the  hands  of  those  with  whom  you  have 
united  yourself?"  "My  convictions  have  existed  for 
many  years  already,  and  they  have  acquired  strength 
through  the  study  of  the  Word  of  God ;  it  is  a 
thing  entirely  between  myself  and  God,  which 
nevertheless  was  openly  manifested  when  I  took  the 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  63 

communion  in  the  Swiss  Church."  Rosa  replied  to 
her  interrogator  that  "  she  had  not  lightly  changed 
her  religion,  or  to  please  man,  since  in  that  case  she 
would  have  done  it  in  England,  where  she  had  lived 
for  sixteen  years ;  but  that,  after  having  read  much, 
and  studied  the  Word  of  God,  and  compared  it  with 
the  doctrines  of  the  Roman  Church,  she  had  remain- 
ed convmced,  and  had  abandoned  that  Church  ;  and 
that  she  had  chosen  the  moment  to  make  her  public 
confession  of  faith,  by  taking  the  communion,  when 
the  laws  gave  and  protected  the  liberty  of  citizens." 
(This  must  have  been  in  1848.) 

There  were  twelve  witnesses  against,  and  six 
for,  the  Madiai ;  and  finally  Maggiorani,  the  coim- 
sel  for  the  prisoners,  closed  the  case,  by  making  a 
speech  which  lasted  three  hours ;  setting  forth  first 
the  legal  question,  then  quoting  from  the  Fathers, 
and  largely  from  the  Scriptures,  in  proof  of  the 
soundness  of  the  doctrines  they  held,  and  that  they 
should  not  be  treated  as  heretics ;  and  then  closed 
with  an  analysis  of  the  evidence  against  them,  and 
completely  showing  how  false  it  all  really  was.  The 
attorney-general  replied,  and  ended  by  advising  the 
judges  to  sentence  the  prisoners,  Francesco  to  fifty- 
six  months'  imprisonment  and  hard  labor,  and  Rosa 
to  the  same  for  a  period  of  forty-six  months,  and 
both  to  solitary  confinement.  The  court  was  then 
closed,  and  all  went  away,  and  notice  was  given  that 
sentence  would  be  pronounced  on  the  following  day. 


64  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

Tlie  bench  deliberated  that  same  evening  for 
three  hours,  without  being  able  to  come  to  any  con- 
clusion. The  next  day  at  ten  o'clock  the  whole 
place  was  filled  with  persons  of  all  classes;  the 
bench  had  already  been  deliberating  since  nine 
o'clock,  but  half-past  two  came,  and  still  they  could 
not  agree,  and  we  began  to  hope  for  a  favorable  sen- 
tence ;  at  length,  at  half-past  three,  after  nine  and 
a  half  hours'  deliberation,  the  judges  entered  the 
court.  The  president  read  a  long  paper,  recapitulat- 
ing the  evidence,  and  then  quoted  a  law  which  in 
no-wise  applied  to  the  case  ;  and  finally  pronounced 
sentence  on  the  Madiai  for  transgressing  it !  I  was 
sitting,  at  this  time,  in  front,  with  several  friends, 
and  turned  to  look  at  the  prisoners,  who  were  only 
two  or  three  paces  distant  from  me.  They  were 
perfectly  composed,  and  manifested  a  most  remark- 
able degree  of  resignation. 

It  now  appears  that  the  cause  of  the  long  delib- 
eration of  the  judges  was,  that  they  could  not  agree  ; 
some  desiring  a  milder  sentence,  and  the  president 
himself,  at  length,  gave  the  casting  vote  for  the  con- 
demnation of  the  accused.  The  sentence  was  (to 
the  astonishment  of  all)  exactly  that  which  had  been 
asked  for  by  the  attorney-general,  viz:  Francesco 
Madiai  to  suffer  four  years'  and  eight  months'  soli- 
tary confinement  and  hard  labor,  and  Rosa  three 
years  and  ten  months  of  the  same.     The  ten  months 


LETTERS   FROM  FLORENCE.      65 

which  they  had  already  passed  in  prison,  were  not  to 
be  reckoned  as  part  of  the  sentence.  Besides  this, 
they  are  to  be  subjected  to  three  years'  surveillance 
of  the  police  after  the  term  of  their  imprisonment  is 
ended.  (The  surveillance  of  the  police  is  most  ha- 
rassing ;  they  enter  your  house  as  often  as  they 
please,  during  the  day  or  in  the  dead  of  night.  You 
must  show  yourself  to  them,  whether  you  are  sick  or 
well,  and  must  never  be  out  of  your  house  after 
eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  &c.)  All  the  expenses 
of  the  trial  are  also  to  be  paid  by  the  Madiai.  The 
prfson  selected  for  him  is  at  Volterra.  She  is  sen- 
tenced to  the  Ergastola,  at  Lucca — a  most  dreaded 
prison. 

At  the  close  of  the  sentence  both  immediately 
arose  from  off  their  seats,  and  looked  at  each  other, 
as  if  greeting  one  another  after  many  months'  ab- 
sence ;  they  then  shook  hands,  both  smiled  on  each 
other,  embraced,  and  in  a  few  moments  disappeared 
amidst  the  bayonets  of  their  guards.  I  may  men- 
tion, in  conclusion,  that  the  sole  accusation  against 
them  was  one  grounded  upon  their  open  confession 
of  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  desire  to  lead  others  to 
faith  in  Him,  and  they  were  not  even  accused  of 
any  political  motives.  The  books  which  were  read 
m  court  were  produced  to  prove  their  apostacy  from 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  and  her  doctrines,  and 
French,  English,  and  Italian  Bibles  were  quoted  in 
their  accusation.     All  tended  both  to  show  the  re- 

6* 


66  STOET     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

ality  and  the  simplicity  of  their  faith,  and  also  to 
publish  the  truth. 

I  send  you  a  letter  written  by  Eosa  Madiai  to 
her  husband,  after  the  trial,  and  before  the  sentence 
had  been  pronounced.  It  will  be  found  to  be  a 
striking  instance  of  the  grace  of  our  Lord  in  answer 
to  prayer,  when  the  state  of  the  poor  sufferer  is  re- 
membered, and  the  depth  of  her  feeling  of  disap- 
pointment two  months  ago,  when  her  trial  was 
off.  Yours,  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  XVn. 

Hosa  Madiai  to  her  Hushand. 

Mio  CAiio  Madiai. — Tusai,  se  to  ti  ho  sempre 
amato,  ma  quanto  piu  ti  devo  amare,  ora  che  siamo 
stati  insieme  alia  battaglia  del  gran  Re,  e  che  siamo 
stati  abbattuti  ma  non  vinti !  lo  spero  che,  per  il 
merito  di  Gesu,  Iddio  Padre  abbia  accettata  la  nostra 
testimonianza,  e  che  ci  dara  la  grazia  di  poter  bere 
fino  air  ultima  goccia  la  pozione  di  quel  calice  ama- 
ro  che  ci  e  preparato  con  rendimenti  di  grazie. 

Mio  buon  Madiai  !  La  vita  nostra,  che  e  ?  Un 
giorno,  un  giorno  di  dolore !  ieri  giovani,  oggi  vec- 
chi  1  ma  pero  noi  possiamo  dire  col  vecchio  Simeone, 
"  Ora,  Signore,  rimandi  il  tuo  servitore  in  pace,  pos- 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  G7 

cia  che  gli  occlii  nostri   hamio  veduta  la  tua  salva- 
zione." 

Coraggio,  mio  caro ;  poiclic  noi  conosciamo  per 
lo  Spirito  Sano  che  quel  Cristo  carico  di  obbrobrio, 
calpestrati  ed  inguiriate,  e  il  nostro  Salvatore,  e 
noi  per  la  sua  santa  luce  e  potenza  ci  troviamo  a  di- 
fendere  la  santa  croce  e  Cristo  spirante  per  noi,  rice- 
vando  i  suoi  obbrobri  per  noi  partecipare  della  sua 
santa  gloria.  Non  teme  se  la  condanna  sara  forte. 
Dio  che  fece  cadere  la  catena  a  Pictro  e  aprivala 
porta  della  sua  prigione  non  dimentichera  ne  anche 
noi. 

Sta  di  buon  animo ;    rimettiamoci  intieramente 
in   Dio ;  fammetti  vedere  lieto,  come  spero  per  la 
medesima  grazia  mi  vedrai  lieta. 
Ti  abbraccia  di  cuore 

La  tua  affezionata  moglie, 

Rosa  Madiai. 

Qucsta  lettera  e  stata  scritta  dalla  jNIadiai  in  car- 
cere  il  di  7  Giugno,  1852,  quando  il  pubblico  Min- 
istro  aveva  gia  concluso  perche  fosse  condannata, 
come  poi  fu  condannata  alia  pene  di  4G  mese  di 
Ergastolo,  e  il  marito  ai  56  mesi  di  casa  di  forza  e 
pubblici  lavori. 


68  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

{Translation.) 
She  encourages  him ;  our  ground  of  confidence  in  God. 

My  dear  Madiai. — Thou  knowest  how  I  have 
always  loved  thee ;  how  much  more,  then,  must  I 
love  thee  now,  that  we  have  been  together  in  the 
battle  of  the  Great  King,  and  that  we  have  been 
cast  down,  but  not  vanquished.  I  hope  that  through 
the  merits  of  Jesus,  God  the  Father  has  accepted 
our  testimony,  and  that  He  will  give  us  grace  to  be 
able  to  drink,  even  to  the  last  drop,  the  bitter  cup 
which  is  prepared  for  us,  and  that,  too,  with  thanks- 
giving. 

My  good  Madiai ;  our  life — what  is  it  ?  A  day, 
a  day  of  grief ;  yesterday,  young ;  to  day,  old  ;  but, 
nevertheless,  we  can  say  with  old  Simeon — "  Now 
lettcot  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  since  our 
eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation." 

Courage,  my  beloved  ;  since  we  know,  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  ihai  Christ  who  was  laden  with  re- 
proach, trodden  under  foot,  and  despised,  is  our  Sa- 
viour, and  by  his  holy  light  and  power  we  find  our- 
selves set  to  defend  his  holy  cross — and  Christ  dying 
for  us,  we  receiving  his  reproaches,  that  we  may  af- 
terwards partake  of  his  holy  glory.  Do  not  fear,  if 
our  condemnation  be  severe ;  God,  who  caused  the 
chains  to  fall  from  Peter  and  opened  the  gate  of  his 
prison,  will  not  forget  even  us. 

Be  of  good  courage ;   let  us  cast  ourselves  en- 


LETTERS     FROM      FLORENCE.  69 

tirely  into  the  hands  of  God  ;  let  me  see  thee  joyful, 
as  I  hope,  through  the  same  grace,  thou  wilt  see  me 
joyful.    With  all  her  heart  embraces  thee, 

Thy  affectionate  wife, 

Rosa  Madiai. 
This  letter  was  ^vl'itten  by  La  Madiai,  in  prison, 
June  7,  1852,  when  the  public  minister  had  already 
determined  that  she  should  be  condemned,  as  she 
afterwards  was  condemned,  to  the  penalty  of  46 
months  of  the  Ergastolo ;  and  her  husband  to  56 
months  of  Casa  di  forza  and  public  works. 


LETTER  XVIII. 


Rosa  Madiai's  dejection  of  spirits;  cheered  after  awMle; 
her  ill  health. — Maggiorani's  application  to  the  Minister 
of  Justice. — The  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Cassation. — 22d  : 
Hopes  that  a  fresh  trial  at  Lucca  may  be  ordered. — ^24th  : 
Contrast  between  the  Florentine  rejoicings,  at  "  the  feast 
of  St.  John,"  and  the  condition  of  the  imprisoned. 

Flore.vce,  Jime  18,  1852. 
My  Dear  L. — My  last  letter  contained  an  ac- 
count of  the  trial,  and  the  very  severe  sentence 
passed  upon  Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai.  You  must) 
have  observed  that  remarkable  self-possession  she 
exhibited  in  court,  and  in  what  a  truly  Christian 
spirit  she  wrote  that  beautiful  letter  to  her  husband ; 


70  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

she  was  afterwards  sadly  cast  down,  and  lost  pa- 
tience for  a  short  time.  Truly  we  hold  this  treasure 
in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  excellency  may  be  of 
God.  Her  kind  lawyer  and  friend,  who  had  power 
to  see  her,  succeeded  in  comforting  her  after  a  time, 
and  in  a  few  days  she  had  recovered  her  usual  calm 
resignation.  We  must  remember  how  very  weak 
poor  Rosa  is  in  health,  and  what  an  effect  continued 
solitude  has  on  minds — in  some  cases  even  inducing 
insanity ;  and  then  we  must  also  remember  how 
very  vexatious  to  a  nervous  temperament  must  have 
been  the  constant  disappointments  to  which  she  had 
been  subjected  ;  so  that,  perhaps,  our  wonder  should 
rather  be,  that  she  had  been  enabled  so  constantly 
to  exhibit  such  submission,  and  not  only  so,  but 
such  an  ardent  desire  to  glorify  God  in  her  suf- 
ferings. 

On  the  12th  poor  Rosa  was  very  unwell,  and 
suffering  from  fever  and  nervous  excitement;  she 
was  told  that  a  petition  would  immediately  be  pre- 
sented for  a  commutation  of  the  sentence,  and  also 
of  a  notice  of  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Cassation.  Fran- 
cesco was  marvellously  strengthened ;  his  only  desire 
was,  that  the  will  of  God  should  be  accomplished  in 
him — ^he  was  in  perfect  peace ;  poor  Rosa,  through 
extreme  weakness  of  the  flesh  in  nervous  agitation, 
did  not  enjoy  this  rest.  On  the  15th  she  had  still 
much  fever  and  loss  of  appetite,  but  had  great  unity 
of  spirit  with  her  husband.     It  was  hoped  that  they 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  71 

might  have  the  consolation  of  seeing  some  Christian 
friends,  indeed  it  was  promised,  but  upon  application 
for  admittance  it  was  peremptorily  refused  ;  I  heard, 
however,  that  one  friend  had  been  permitted  to  see 
them  occasionally. 

Yesterday  Maggiorani  saw  the  minister  of  justice 
for  an  answer  to  the  petition  for  grace ;  the  reply 
was  very  tersely  given.  The  case  must  first  go  to 
the  Court  of  Cassation,  and  after  the  result  of  that 
appeal  was  known,  the  petition  will  be  considered ; 
but  without  any  pledge  as  to  the  nature  of  the  reply. 
It  must  take  at  least  a  month  before  the  appeal  can 
be  made,  so  that  the  prisoners  are  at  once  subjected 
to  this  extension  of  imprisonment,  with  all  its  uncer- 
tainties. I  trust  that  God  will,  in  His  infinite  mercy, 
sustain  and  comfort  them  in  this  fresh  trial. 

22nd.  They  say  now,  the  result  of  the  appeal 
cannot  be  known  until  the  21st  of  July ;  if  the  iniqui- 
tous sentence  to  which  they  have  been  doomed  should 
be  broken,  a  fresh  trial  will  take  place  at  Lucca,  and 
there  appears  to  be  a  good  hope  of  a  favorable  result. 
The  Lord  has  sustained  Francesco  in  uninterrupted 
peace ;  he  says  he  has  given  himself  up  entirely  into 
the  hands  of  God,  that  He  may  do  what  He  ^vill  with 
him,  and  to  Him  he  entirely  leaves  his  destiny ;  he 
was  glad  to  sufler  for  the  Lord ;  he  had  read,  ho 
said,  that  thus  the  Lord  has  always  led  his  children 
through  persecutions,  and  was  it  not  the  very  reli- 
gion for  which  he  suflered  that  made  him  so  happy  ? 


72  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

the  only  grief  he  had  was  to  tliink  of  his  dear  wife's 
sufferings. 

*  ^t  *  «•  * 

24th.  To-night  there  will  be  fire- works  in  honor 
of  St.  John,*  and  all  will  be  apparently  festivity  and 
joy ;  and  yet,  in  the  jails  of  this  very  city,  shut  up  in 
close  narrow  cells,  are  some  dear  to  Jesus,  suffering 
for  His  name's  sake. 

Yours,  affectionately,        D.  K. 


LETTER  XIX. 


Publication  of  Maggiorani's  defence ;  interest  expressed 
about  it. — Biccliierai's  speech  against  the  Madiai  pub- 
lished.— His  admissions  in  favor  of  the  character  of  the 
accused. 

Florence,  July  6,  1852. 
My  dear  L. —  *  *  Maggiorani's  admirable 
defence  has  been  published ;  it  has  made  much  stir 
among  all  classes.  Even  the  Grand  Duke  has  read 
it.  Many  quite  unknown  to  the  author  have  written 
to  him,  complimenting  him  in  strong  and  feeling 
terms  upon  his  able  and  classical  defence  of  the 
Madiai.  Some  of  these  letters  are  from  the  first 
lawyers  of  the  Tuscan  bar.  Landucci  forbade  adver- 
tisements of  it  at  the  corners  of  the  streets,  but  it 


*  St.  John  the  Baptist  is  the  Patron  Saint  of  Florence ; 
his  festival  occurs  on  Midsummer-day. 


1 


LETTERS     FROM     FLORENCE.  73 

has  been  advertised  in  all  the  papers  except  the 
Mo?iitore,  which  refused  to  insert  it.  Copies  have 
been  sent  to  various  places ;  I  hope  you  will  soon 
get  one. 

Bicchierai  has  published  his  speech  against  the 
accused.  It  commences  with  a  sort  of  laudation  of 
the  Madonna.  One  remarkable  admission  he  makes, 
"  that  although  the  Madiai's  witnesses  have  proved 
their  natural  probity^  their  beneficence^  kuidness  and 
charity,  that  this  only  made  him  the  more  regret 
their  having  left  the  Church,  and  did  not  make  their 
crime  the  less.  What  a  noble  testimony,  from  their 
bitter  persecutor,  in  their  flivor ! 

Yours,  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTER  XX. 


The  case  heard  before  the  Court  of  Appeal. — The  judges 
apparently  favorable. — August  7.  The  former  sentence 
confirmed. — The  Leopoldine  Laws  set  aside. — A  petition 
to  the  Grand  Duke  prepared. — The  tried  condition  of  the 
prisoners. 

Florence,  July  31,  1852. 
My  dear  L. —  *  *  The  Court  of  Appeal 
has  heard  the  case  of  the  Madiai  this  morning. 
Maggiorani,  as  usual,  spoke  remarkably  well,  and 
was  listened  to  ^vith  the  most  intense  interest  by  all 
the  court,  who  seemed  to  be  much  better  disposed 
7 


74  STORY    OP    THE    MADIAI. 

towards  the  accused  than  the  former  court  had  been; 
and  there  is  but  little  doubt  now  that  they  will  find 
for  an  appeal,  and  then  the  matter  will  be  heard 
over  again  at  Lucca ;  and  most  likely  the  court  will 
consider  their  past  imprisonment  as  sufficient,  and 
ask  for  their  discharge.  Oh,  what  a  mercy  it  will  be, 
should  they  be  set  free ;  we  must  still  hope  in  the 
Lord.  If  it  is  His  will  to  deliver.  He  will  deliver ; 
if  not,  He  will  give  more  grace  to  endure.  I  will  not 
send  this  letter  until  I  hear  the  ultimate  decision,  so 
farewell  for  the  present. 

August  7th. — Alas !  all  our  hopes  have  been  dash- 
ed to  the  ground.  This  morning  the  Supreme  Court 
rejected  the  appeal  made  to  it,  to  set  aside  the  sen- 
tence pending  against  the  Madiai.  All  the  legal  men 
agree  in  opinion  that  this  refusal  to  hear  the  case 
over  again  is  as  usual,  first,  against  the  evidence  ad~ 
duced  against  the  Madiai,  which  evidence  cannot  on 
any  grounds  condemn  them ;  second,  that  in  con- 
firming the  sentence  of  the  first  court,  they,  like  it, 
violate  the  true  interpretation  of  the  Leopoldine 
Laws.'*   This  court,  therefore,  enforces  in  every  par- 

*  The  Leopoldine  Laws  take  their  name  from  Peter 
Leopold,  (or  Leopold  I.)  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  from 
1765  to  1790.  His  reforms  in  the  criminal  and  civil  admin- 
istrations of  justice  were  alike  remarkable.  "In  his  new 
code,  the  criminal  section  was  especially  bold,  inasmuch  as 
it  swept  away  at  once  torture,  confiscation,  secret  trial,  and 
even  the  punishment  of  death.       *        *        *       All  privi- 


LETTERS    FROM     FLORENCE.  iO 

ticiilar  the  first  sentence ;  so  you  see  that  no  court 
of  law  in  this  country  is  free  and  independent ;  for, 
instead  of  being  expounders  of  the  law,  they  are 
rather  interpreters  of  the  will  and  wishes  of  the 
government,  who  wish  that  the  case  of  the  Madiai 
should  serve  as  a  precedent  for  any  other  similar 
case  which  may  come  before  them,  so  that  all  may 
know  what  to  expect. 

Maggiorani  has  prepared  another  petition,  which 
will  be  presented  immediately  to  the  Grand  Duke, 
and  it  is  the  opinion  of  all  that  it  will  be  granted. 
Nevertheless,  in  all  probability  the  government  will 
allow  both  the  IMadiai  to  be  carried  to  their  different 
prisons,  and  after  keeping  them  there  a  couple  of 

leged  jurisdictions  were  destroyed,  and  the  public  courts 
fortified  in  their  independence  and  authority.  *  *  *  * 
Leopold's  ecclesiastical  reforms  were  equally  daring,  and 
gave  deep  offence  to  the  Papal  goverament.  *  *  *  He 
SUPPRESSED  THE  LvQuisiTioN  ;  lie  imposcd  severe  limita- 
tions on  the  profession  of  monks  and  nuns,"  &c. — Spalding's 
Italy,  ii.  p.  307. 

On  the  death  of  the  Emperor,  Joseph  II.  in  1790,  his 
brother,  Peter  Leopold,  succeeded  him  as  Leopold  II.  be- 
stowing the  Grand  Duchy  of  Tuscany  on  his  second  son, 
Ferdinand  III.  Avho  was  the  father  of  the  present  Grand 
Duke,  Leopold  II.  who  succeeded  in  1824. 

The  general  tenor  of  the  Leopoldine  Laws  was  to  confer 
on  the  Tuscans  personal  and  ecclesiastical  freedom  of  action, 
and  to  render  public  all  the  proceedings  of  government. 

Where  are  now  the  Leopoldine  liberties  ?  Even  if  there 
be  pensieri  liberi,  parole  strctte  must  accompany  them ! 


76  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

weeks,  will  then  commute  their  punishment  into  per- 
petual exile,  and  thus  show  how  tender  and  conside- 
rate they  are  in  the  midst  of  victory.  It  is  a  question, 
in  my  mind,  whether  either  of  the  Madiai  will  be 
able  physically  to  bear  the  first  shock  of  a  removal 
to  the  galleys.  They  will  no  longer  believe  in  a 
commutation,  because  their  hopes  have  been  so  often 
frustrated.  But  the  Lord  is  able  to  help — "  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee ;"  and  His  promises  are  able  to 
lift  them  above  all  circumstances  and  pain,  notwith- 
standing that  the  flesh  is  so  extremely  weak  through 
long  and  wearisome  imprisonment.  Let  us  pray 
that  the  poor  Madiai  may  "  hope  in  God,  who  raiseth 
the  dead,"  and  rejoice  in  a  certain  resurrection. 
When  the  result  of  the  petition  is  known  I  will 
write  to  you  again.  Maggiorani  has  shown  himself 
extremely  kind  and  feeling  throughout  this  long 
affair.     I  must  now  close  this  letter. 

Yours,  affectionately,         D.  K. 


LETTERS  FROM  TLORENCE.       77 

LETTER  XXI. 

H.  M—y  to  N and  L . 

Rejection  of  the  petition  for  grace.— Visit  to  Francesco 
Madiai  in  the  Murate  prison ;  his  submission  and  message 
to  his  wife.— Visit  to  Rosa  in  the  Bargello;  her  suffering!; 
her  prayer.- Her  removal  to  Lucca.— Her  message  to 
her  friends.— Husband  and  wife  not  allowed  to  meet  since 
their  trial, 

Florence,  August  10,  1852. 
My  DEAR  Friends  :— The  petition  for  grace  was 
peremptorily  rejected  !  This  summary  proceeding, 
which  allowed  no  opportunity  for  the  interference  of 
the  Prussian  or  English  minister,  was  known  to  a 
few  on  Monday.  IVfaggiorani,  their  lawyer,  was 
absent  at  Leghorn,  and  did  not  hear  of  it  till  Tuesday, 
when  he  immediately  returned  here.  We  went  to^ 
gether  to  the  Murate  prison  ;  Madiai  was  in  perfect 
peace ;  he  received  the  final  blow  in  a  spirit  of  holy 
submission,  and  the  only  expression  of  suffering 
was,  squeezing  my  hand,  saying,  "There  is  need  of 
patience,"  but  cheerfulness  beamed  in  his  counte- 
nance, although  suflering  from  continual  physical  ill- 
ness. He  also  said,  "  The  comfort  and  joy  of  th? 
Holy  Spirit  never  changes  with  me;  however  it  may 
be  with  my  poor  body,  I  am  always  happy ;  God 
has  been  with  me  all  the  time  of  my  imprisonment, 
and  He  will  always  be  with  me  as  long  as  I  remam 
7* 


78  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

in  prison,  and  I  am  as  sure  that  He  will  be  with  me 
unto  death."  He  wished  to  have  with  him  a  supply 
of  clean  linen,  &c.  adding,  "If  permitted;"  we  found 
on  inquiry,  that  this  ivas  not  permitted ;  he  instantly 
smiled,  saying,  "Well,  all  things  according  to  the 
will  of  God."  He  talked  beautifully  about  his  wife, 
and  requested  me  to  tell  her  that  his  prayer  was  that 
God  would  go  with  them  to  their  prisons,  and  that 
he  felt  sure  that  God  would  be  their  companion  there. 
I  have  seen  Christians  die  in  perfect  peace  and  hap- 
piness, but  I  have  never  seen  so  complete  a  triumph 
in  the  midst  of  life,  the  will  in  the  sweetest  accord- 
ance with  the  Divine  will,  the  whole  man  following 
Jesus  in  the  simplicity  and  gentleness  of  a  new  born 
inflmt,  and  at  the  same  time  with  the  dignity  of  a 
man ! 


Afterwards  we  went  to  the  Bargello :  her  suffer- 
ings were  great,  but  they  speedily  assumed  the  charac- 
ter of  Christian  fortitude.  She  at  once  took  leave  of 
the  various  topics  of  hopes  and  fears,  w^hich  had  long 
kept  her  noble  spirit  in  painful  exercise,  and  turned 
to  her  stronghold.  "  Tell  all,  not  to  pray  for  our 
liberation,  but  for  that  increase  of  fliith  which  may 
enable  us  to  suffer  cheerfally."  And  then,  before  us 
all  and  the  attendants,  she  burst  forth  into  fervent 
prayer,  especially  for  more  faith,  more  love  to  Jesus ! 
The  doctor  was  in  the  prison  at  the  time,  she  sent  for 
him ;  I  was  much  pleased  with  him ;  and  although  it 
was  unusual,  he  said  he  could  give  her  a  certificate  as 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  79 

to  the  state  of  her  health,  requiring  diet  diflerent 
from  that  of  the  common  prisoners,  as  absohitely 
important  to  her  life.  We  remained  an  hour  Avith 
her.  ^laggiorani  has  fixed  to  go  to  Lucca  to  see  that 
everything  is  provided  that  can  be  permitted,  and 
perhaps  I  may  go  also. 

This  morning  early  I  received  a  most  unexpected 
notice  from  one  of  the  prison  officers,  that  she  was 
gomg  off  instantly,  and  wished  to  see  me.  I  filled  a 
small  basket  with  tea,  sugar,  &c.     When  I  arrived 

at  the  Bargello,  K very  kindly  let  me  go  to  her 

cell.  I  found  her  meeting  this  trying  moment  most 
nobly.  She  explained  to  me  that  she  wanted  her 
bonnet,  gown,  shawl,  &c.  these  were  under  the  care 

of  W .     I  soon  brouglit  them.     She  asked  me 

to  leave  her  for  a  few  moments,  when  she  quickly 
dressed,  and  appeared  smiling.  She  said,  "I  have 
done  nothing  to  my  hair,  for  they  will  cut  it  off." 
She  sent  much  love  to  you  all,  and  so  did  he,  men- 
tioning you  by  name ;  she  said  with  much  feeling, 
"  Remember  me  to  all  the  brethren,  and  tell  them, 
should  they  be  called  to  follow  us,  to  bear  what  may 
be  appointed  them  to  suffer,  but  never  to  forsake 
their  God  !  I  desire  not  only  to  take  up  the  Cross, 
but  to  bear  it  cheerfully  with  abounding  thanks- 
giving. What  an  honor  it  is  for  such  unworthy  crea- 
tures to  be  called  to  sufl'er  in  the  Lord's  cause."  I 
handed  her  into  the  carriage,  and  we  parted  under  a 
great  blessing  j  she  was  attended  by  a  female  jp-iler 


80  STORY     OF      THE     MADIAI. 

and  some  gensdarmes.  I  can  give  you  no  account  of 
his  departure  to  Volterra;  no  doubt  he  is  gone. 
What  barbarity,  thus  to  separate  husband  and  wife, 
who  have  never  met  since  their  trial.  I  can  mal^e 
no  comment. 

Your  sincere  friend,         H.  M y. 


LETTER  XXII. 
H.  E to  F.  D- 


Rememhrances  of  visits  to  the  Madiai.— Francesco  almost 
always  composed  and  happy,  resigned  to  the  will  of  God : 
his  firmness  in  his  Evangelical  profession.— Agitated  at  a 
false  deposition  against  his  wife ;  his  deep  feeling  for  her. 
—Left  in  his  cell  while  unlocked ;  effect  of  the  stillness 
of  the  prison  on  his  nervous  system.— Mass  in  prison  on 
Festas.— The  prayers  of  the  Madiai  for  their  enemies.— 
Rosa's  inferior  health  and  nervous  temperament;  occa- 
sional despondency;  contrition  of  spirit;  sustained  by 
faith.— Anguish  at  the  sufferings  around  her. 

Folkestone,  Sept.  4,  1852. 

My  dear  Eriend, — Eindlng  that  Miss  W- 


had  sent  away  her  copy  of  Francesco's  letter,*  I 
have  again  translated  it  for  you ;  it  is,  in  my  opinion, 
a  precious  document  now,  showing  in  Madiai's  own 

*  Inserted  above ;  Letter  XIII.  This  letter  from  H.  E. 
was  written  in  answer  to  an  application  for  a  copy  of  Fran- 
cesco's letter,  to  be  inserted  in  this  series  of  extracts. 


LETTERS      FROM      FLORENCE.  81 

simple,  truthful  way,  his  growth  in  grace,  and  in 
the  knowledge  and  love  of  his  Saviour.  We  think 
that  you  may  like  to  have  some  of  our  well- 
remembered  conversations  with  our  dear  Madiai; 
we  may,  but  I  do  not  think  we  do,  put  an  undue 
vaHie  upon  them.  Make  what  use  you  like  of  the 
information  I  give  you;  interweave  parts,  or  all, 
or  omit  it  altogether  in  your  pamphlet  of  extracts 
from  D.  K.'s  letters,  as  you  think  best;  but  I  can- 
not but  believe,  that  having  this  mformation  from 
those  who  had  heard  such  noble  professions  from 
the  lips  of  the  prisoners,  would  give  an  additional 
interest  and  force  to  the  perusal  of  your  work, 
should  it  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  incredulous  and 
the  scoffer,  having  had  your  information  from  those 
whose  high  privilege  it  had  been  to  visit  these 
noble  Christians  in  their  prisons,  and  who  had  be- 
held with  wonder  and  admiration  the  sustaining 
power  of  grace  and  simple  faith,  evinced  by  the 
holy  submission  of  those  dear  prisoners.  I  will 
write  the  different  circumstances  as  I  remember 
them,  without  amplification  or  comment ;  the  truth, 
the  simple  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  do  I 
communicate  to  you. 

With  one  exception,  we  always  found  Fran- 
cesco Madiai  perfectly  composed  and  happy:  un- 
moved by  the  hopes  and  fears  of  his  friends 
respecting  his  ultimate  fate,  he  ever  calmly  and 
sweetly   expressed   "his  entire  resignation   to  the 


82  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

will  of  God  in  all  things."  He  once  said,  "  I  de- 
sire to  be  as  a  lamb  in  His  hands,  to  do  with  me 
whatsoever  seemeth  to  Him  good."  When  some 
one  remarked,  that  perhaps  the  authorities  were 
detaining  him  long  in  prison  in  order  to  induce  him 
to  recant,  he  answered  warmly,  "I  abjure  my  faith 
and  deny  my  Saviour "?  who,  even  in  my  bonds 
makes  me  so  happy !  Never !  They  may  do  what  they 
please  with  this  poor  body  of  mine ;  I  may,  perhaps, 
die  in  prison,  but,  with  God's  help,  I  will  never  deny 
Him ;  and  what  I  say  for  myself,  I  am  as  sure  of 
for  my  poor  wife,  who,  weak  and  ill  as  she  is  in 
health,  is  firmer  than  myself  in  faith;  wxll  do  I 
know  this."  The  only  time  when  we  saw  him 
agitated  and  unhappy,  was  after  having  heard  that 
a  false  witness  had  deposed  that  his  wife  had,  on 
one  occasion,  taken  from  her  her  rosary  and  had 
flung  it  into  the  Piazza ;  he  grieved  lest  any  one 
should  believe  that  his  wife  was  capable  of  com- 
mitting so  violent  and  unseemly  an  action.  He  used 
sometimes  to  say,  "I  should  be  a  stock,  or  a  stone, 
were  I  not  to  feel  my  imprisonment  and  separation 
from  my  wife  and  friends;  I  do  feel  it  deeply, 
sometimes,  but  still  God  makes  me  so  very  happy, 
that,  were  it  not  for  my  poor  wife  I  should  be  con- 
tent to  remain  here.  Sometimes,  indeed,  the  devil 
(il  Maligno)  comes  to  tempt  me  to  despond ;  when 
he  does  so  I  rise  instantly,  and  rapidly  walk  up  and 
down  my  cell,  repeating  my  psalms,  and  then  pray- 


LETTERS     FROM      FLORENCE.  83' 

ing  earnestly  to  my  Saviour  for  help,  and  soon  do  I 
become  calm  and  happier  than  before." 

Very  beautiful  and  very  affecting  was  it  to  see 
him  sometimes  with  clasped  hands,  and  up-turned 
tearful  eyes,  praise  and  thank  his  merciful  Saviour 
for  all  his  great  kindness  to  him,  a  miserable  sinner, 
and  then  repeating  with  much  emotion  his  favorite 
116th  and  51st  Psalms. 

One  day  he  told  us  that,  the  lock  of  his  cell 
door  having  been  broken,  his  jailers  were  consulting 
where  to  place  him,  whilst  it  was  being  sent  to  be 
repaired,  as  the  prison  was  so  full  there  was  no  ad* 
jacent  vacant  cell ;  "  Leave  me  where  I  am ;  were 
every  door  in  the  prison  open,  I  promise  you  ] 
would  not  go  out  of  it  until  I  had  been  tried,  and  1 
had  made  my  public  confession."  "And  so  they  did 
leave  me,"  he  said,  laughingly.  When  his  friends 
told  him  that  they  had  in  vain  endeavoured  to  ob- 
tam  leave  to  see  him  more  frequently,  he  said, 
smiling,  "  I  am  very  grateful  for  all  your  kindness, 
and  it  is  a  great  pleasure  to  see  you ;  but  still,  I 
confess,  that  if  I  had  never  seen  any  one,  I  am  sure 
I  should  have  been  happy,  for  my  good  Saviour  is 
ever  present  to  comfort  me." 

His  demeanor  towards  his  jailors  was  most 
gentle  and  courteous ;  he  was  always  unwilling  to 
occupy  his  cliair  until  thoy  also  were  accommodated. 
He  sensibly  felt  the  terrible  silence  and  stillness  of 
his  last  prison,  the  Murate,  where  he   passed  six 


84  STORY      OF     THE     MA  DIAL 

months  in  solitary  confinement  previous  to  his  trial  • 
he  said,  "  It  was  the  silence  of  the  tomb,"  no  sound 
of  clock  or  bell  reached  him.  He  asked,  as  a  favour, 
to  have  his  watch  returned  to  him,  "as  a  com- 
panion ;"  it  was  refused,  and  he  patiently  bore  his 
disappointment.  The  window  of  his  cell  was  built 
up,  convent  fashion,  so  as  to  admit  light  and  air, 
but  to  exclude  all  view  of  the  outer,  living  world. 
Happy  as  he  ever  was,  it  was  painful  to  see  his 
physical,  nervous  derangement,  in  the  twitchings  of 
the  face,  and  the  trembling  of  his  hands ;  still  was 
he  more  than  conqueror,  through  Christ  strengthen- 
ing him. 

It  appears  that  on  Festas,  mass  was  performed  in 
the  prison  chapel ;  during  which  the  door  of  every 
cell  was  opened  half-way,  so  as  to  permit  each  pri- 
soner to  see  the  altar.  When  asked  what  he  did  on 
such  occasions,  Madiai  answered,  "  I  retire  to  the 
furthest  end  of  my  cell,  and  repeat  my  psalms,  and 
pray."  During  all  his  trials  and  sufferings,  no 
anger,  no  bitterness  did  he  express  against  his  per- 
secutors. Neither  Madiai,  nor  his  wife,  ever  uttered 
a  word  of  disaffection,  or  of  disloyalty ;  on  the 
contrary,  they  frequently  prayed  for  their  enemies, 
that  it  might  please  God  to  touch  their  hearts  and 
to  open  their  eyes  to  the  truth,  before  it  was  too  late. 

Poor  Rosa's  broken  health,  and  highly  nervous 
and  sensitive  temperament,  caused  her  to  feel  her 
suffermgs  and  trials  more  acutely,  and  sometimes 


LETTERS   FROM   FLORENCE.      85 

she  temporarily  gave  way  to  despondency  and  fear ; 
and  deeply  touching  it  was  to  witness  her  deep  and 
humble  contrition  for  her  occasional  lack  of  faith. 
"  Oh,  how  unlike  am  I  to  St.  Paul !  I  ought,  but  do 
not,  always  rejoice  in  tribulation^  and  never  to  faint, 
but  the  spirit  is  indeed  willing,  though  the  flesh  is 
very,  very  weak ;  oh !  pray  for  me  that  my  faith 
may  increase."  And  truly,  her  faith  enabled  her  to 
make  as  bold  and  noble  a  confession  as  did  her  more 
constantly  rejoicing  husband.  When  told  of  her 
husband's  firmness  and  happy  state  of  mind,  she 
exclaimed,  "  Oh !  what  good  tidings  are  these, 
better,  far  better  to  me  than  would  be  the  posses- 
sion of  any  worldly  good."  One  of  her  great  trials 
was  in  seeing  the  anguish  and  misery  of  her  fellow- 
captives,  and  being  unable  to  aid  them ;  this,  to  her 
compassionate  and  tender  nature,  was  a  grievous 
sorrow.  She  was  often,  during  the  nights,  roused 
from  her  slumbers  by  the  moans  of  newly  arrived 
prisoners,  whom  they  were  conducting  to  their  cells; 
and  for  several  successive  nights  she  was  distressed 
by  the  screams  and  violence  of  a  female  prisoner, 
next  door,  who  was  accused  of  murder.  Such  wer* 
some  of  our  dear  prisoners'  trials;  happy  pri 
soners ! — 

"  They  wlio  to  the  end  endure 
The  Cross,  shall  wear  the  Crovs-n '" 

Ever  your  affectionate,  H.  E. 

8 


REPORT  OF  THE  TRIAL. 


From   the   Gazzetta  dei  Tribunale,  Elorence,  12th 
June,  1852. 
EoYAL  Court  of  Florence. 
Camera   Criminale    decidente,  sitting  of  4th  June, 
1852.     President,  Counsellor  of  State  Signor  Ni- 
coli  Nervini ;    Public   Minister,    Proc.    Gen.  A. 
Bicchierai ;  Counsels  for  the  defence,  A.  Maggio- 
rani  and  R.  Tenici. 

Trial  of  Madiai. — Impiety. 
Not  having  been  able  to  assist  at  the  debate  on 
this  interesting  cause,  as  it  was  held,  by  request  of 
the  Public  Minister,  with  closed  doors,  we  hasten  to 
publish  the  act  of  accusation  and  the  sentence. 

Act  of  Accusation. 
The  Hoyal  Procurator- General  to  the  Royal  Court 
of  Florence^  deposetli : 
That  the  Chamber  of  Accusation  {Camera  o?' 
accusa.)  of  the  Royal  Court  aforesaid,  by  a  decree 
set  forth  25th  November  last,  has  ordered  that 
Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai,  husband  and  wife,  and 
Pasquale  Casacci,  be  accused  of  the  Crime  of  Im- 
piety. 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  87 

In  compliance  with  this  decree,  the  undersigned 
havmg  examined  the  regular  instructions  compiled 
in  the  tribunal  of  the  first  instance,  of  Florence,  de- 
clares that  from  the  same  substantially  results  what 
follows  : — 

As  regards  the  Madiai,  there  has  existed  here 
for  some  time,  and,  unhappily,  it  has  been  sought 
to  propagate  amongst  us,  a  heterodox  confession, 
called  "  Tlie  Evanorelical  relimon,  or  relifrion  of  the 
pure  Gospel,"  which,  refusing  in  many  points  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith  and  discipline,  and  substitut- 
ing private  judgment  concerning  the  knowledge 
and  mterpretation  of  the  Scriptures  for  the  authority 
and  traditions  of  the  Church,  im^^iously  attempts  to 
displace  from  the  minds  of  the  believers  the  pure 
and  healtliful  principles  of  Catholicism,  and  to  put 
in  their  stead  false  and  condemned  doctrines,  to  in- 
crease the  number  of  its  followers,  and  to  enlarge 
its  boundaries,  to  the  insult  and  prejudice  of  our 
most  holy  religion,  and  the  civil  ordmances  on  which 
this  rests. 

To  this  confession  belong  Francesco  and  Rosa 
Madiai;  who,  not  content  with  having  apostatized 
from*  Catholicism,  in  which  they  were  born  and 
brought  up,  have  even  sought  to  disseminate  and  in- 
sinuate in  others  their  errors,  without  regard  to  age, 
sex,  or  condition,  and  directing  this  wicked  propa- 
ganda against  the  weakest  and  least  experienced, 
placed,  also,  under  their  authority. 


88  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

It  is  likewise  ascertained  that  they  lent  their 
dwelling  for  the  convenience  of  reunions,  both  for 
religious  exercises  and  for  the  instruction  of  the 
members,  particularly  after  these  meetings  were 
put  dowTi  in  other  localities ;  that  such  a  reunion 
was  held  on  the  17th  of  August  last,  when  the  pub- 
lic force  discovered  it,  and  made  arrests  and  perqui- 
sitions ;  that  at  various  times  books,  tracts,  and  he- 
terodox works  were  deposited  and  kept  there,  and 
afterwards  distributed  by  decurioni ;  that,  at  the 
said  reunions  for  instruction,  many  came,  even  more 
than  twenty  Catholics,  (not  excluding  children,) 
some  of  whom  thus  imbibed  and  were  confirmed  in 
the  errors  of  their  sect,  and  that  the  Madiais,  even 
out  of  this  reunion,  profited  by  every  favorable  occa- 
sion to  exercise  proselytism,  preaching  and  insinua- 
ting,  amongst  other  things,  maxims  contrary  to  the 
sacrament  of  confession,  to  the  real  presence  in  the 
Holy  Eucharist,  to  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  to  the 
doctrine  of  Purgatory,  to  the  worship  of  the  Sacred 
Image,  to  the  intercession  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and 
the  Saints  to  the  Priesthood,  to  the  Pontificate,  to 
the  observance  of  certain  feast-days,  to  the  forbid- 
ding of  certain  food,  &c.  They  also  distributed 
Bibles,  translated,  and  not  approved  by  the  Church, 
and  books  of  prayers  corresponding  with  the  errors 
mentioned. 

Some  persons  declare  that  they  refused  to  join, 
in  spite  of  repeated  insistance  j  others,  that  they  in- 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  89 

curred  the  risk  of  falling;  and  one  (Antonietta  Mar- 
sini,  their  servant,)  confessed  that  she  indeed  fell 
into  error,  so  far  as  to  partake  twice  of  the  Commu- 
nion that  they  celebrate  in  commemoration  of  the 
Last  Supper,  and  to  follow  in  some  things  Rosa  Ma- 
diai,  who  urged  her  to  break  the  beads  of  her  rosary 
and  the  scapulary  she  had  on  her  neck,  as  being  ob- 
jects of  idolatry. 

The  Madiais  confess  to  their  apostacy,  and  deny 
the  proselytizing,  but  admit  having  taught  the  truth 
to  those  who  sought  it  from  them.  They  are  con- 
tradicted in  this  by  not  a  few  witnesses. 

hi  consequence,  Francesco,  son  of  the  late  Vin- 
cenzio  Madiai,  48  years  old,  married,  without  child- 
ren, native  of  Diaceto,  in  the  prefecture  of  Pontas- 
siene,  livmg  in  Florence,  a  courier,  and  letter  of  lodg- 
ings ;    and 

Rosa,  daughter  of  the  late  Stefano  Pulini,  wife 
of  the  said  Madiai,  native  of  Rome,  living  in  Flo- 
rence, aged  50  ; 

Are  accused  of  impiety,  committed  by  the  above 
mentioned  individuals  in  the  course  of  last  year; 
and  particularly  by  the  Madiai,  workers  of  a  propa- 
ganda and  proselytism  to  the  so-called  Evangelical 
Confession,  or  the  Religion  of  the  Pure  Gospel,  not 
so  much  by  teaching  as  by  the  distribution  of  books 
and  tracts,  to  the  prejudice  and  insult  of  the  Catho- 
lic Religion  predominating  in  the  Grand  Duchy ;  a 
crime  foreseen  and  punishable  by  the  60th  article  of 

8* 


90  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

the  law  of  30th  November,  1786,  and  by  judicial 
observances. 

Written  at  the  office  of  the  Eoyal  Procurator- 
General,  at  the  Koyal  Court  of  Florence,  6th  De- 
cember, 1851. 

A.  Becciuerai,  Royal  Proc.  Gen. 


Speech  of  the  Puhlic  Minister^  Sign.  A.  Bicchierai. 

I  have  the  honor  of  again  speaking  in  your  pre- 
sence, in  a  cause  grave,  extraordinary,  and  delicate, 
and  on  this  account  necessary  to  be  noticed,  as  op- 
portune and  in  its  juridical  position. 

I  should  never  have  .believed  that  our  office 
would  have  needed  to  hear  accusations  in  defence  of 
the  religion  of  the  state  in  this  country,  where  every 
memorial,  every  building,  every  institution,  every 
object  of  art — I  would  almost  say,  where  even  the 
very  stone  and  cement  speak  to  the  mind,  and  the 
heart  of  all,  of  that  august  daughter  of  Keaven, 
under  whose  wings  the  country  and  people  of  Tus- 
cany have  become  illustrious,  respected  and  en- 
vied. 

Still  less  should  I  have  believed  it,  after  that  the 
so-called  civil  progress  had  shown  itself  pending  and 
inclinhig  before  Her,  almost  to  attain  to  that  conse- 
cration,  which   is  alone   worthy   to    accredit   and 


REPORT      OF      THE     TRIAL.  91 

give  strength  to  innovation's,  and  great  and  splendid 
undertakings. 

Still  less  should  I  have  feared  to  recognise  in  the 
enemy's  ranks  any  sons  of  this  same  religion,  after 
the  extravagances  of  the  flinatic,  Jean  Souchott,  af- 
terwards passing  into  England,  and  thence  to  Ame- 
rica and  Switzerland;  divided  and  subdivided  into 
many  more  branches  and  twigs,  all  working  with 
most  impotent  means  to  diffuse  and  spread  abroad 
Bibles  adulterated,  mutilated,  or  changed  according 
to  their  fancy,  and  without  authorized  commentaries, 
in  every  spoken  language,  and  even  in  Italian,  per- 
mitting every  one  to  read,  comment  upon,  and  un- 
derstand it  according  to  his  own  private  judgment, 
or  the  explanations  of  anti-Catholic  ministers. 

The  Romish  Church  has  made  head  agamst  them 
as  it  could,  by  authority  and  instruction,  by  record- 
ing and  reviving  the  discipline  and  prohibitions  of 
the  Council  of  Trent,  and  the  provisions  of  Benedict 
XIV.  Thus  did  Pius  VII.  Leo  XII.  Pius  VIII.  and 
more  particularly  Gregory  XVI.  in  the  encyclical 
letter  of  8th  May,  1844,  written  explicitly  to  con- 
demn the  Society  of  the  Christian  Alliance,  which 
was  instituted  at  New- York  m  1843. 

Of  this  encyclical  letter,  (referred  to  in  Cappel 
letti's  History.)  the  following  quotation  is  worthy  a 
notice : — "  It  is  clear,  and  proved  by  a  long  experi- 
ence of  past  times,  that  to  draw  the  people  from 
fidelity  and  obedience  to  their  princes,  there  is  no 


92  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

method  so  easy  as  that  indifference  to  religion  which 
the  sectaries  propagate  under  the  name  of  religious 
liberty.  Nor  do  the  new  members  of  the  Christian 
Alliance  deny  this,  for  though  they  profess  them- 
selves averse  to  exciting  civil  seditions,  they  never- 
theless confess  that,  by  giving  the  multitude  the 
right  of  interpreting  the  Scriptures,  and  thus  diffus- 
ing among  the  Italians  w^hat  they  call  total  liberty 
of  conscience,  the  political  liberty  of  Italy  will,  spon- 
taneously, arise  therefrom." 

These  words  are  an  anticipated  comment  on  the 
events  of  our  time.  Civil  liberty  being  extended, 
and  time  being  given  to  constitutional  systems,  as  if 
by  the  consent  of  these,  the  dissenting  or  Protestant 
confessions,  transformed  and  with  various  titles, 
though  identical  in  substance,  emerged  from  their 
hiding-places,  or  poured  forth  from  America,  Swit 
zerland  and  England,  into  Italy  and  Tuscany,  and 
worked  hand  in  hand ;  not  so  much  to  establish 
themselves  for  the  private  benefit  of  their  followers, 
as  to  propagate  their  principles  by  gaining  proselytes 
even  from  the  Catholics.  And  when  the  Italian  go- 
vernments were  in  the  height  of  disorder  and  of 
internal  revolt,  we  saw  this  propaganda  increase  in 
numbers  and  boldness ;  for  to  those  who  studied  to 
pervert  by  means  of  religious  sects,  the  political  agi- 
tators joined  themselves,  and  alternately  gave  and 
received  help  from  the  others;  thus  both  parties 
proceeded,  th^ir  ends  not  always  the  same,  their 


REPORT     OF     THE      TRIAL.  93 

means  also  different,  but  producing  and  working  the 
same  effect,  doing  harm  to  the  morals  and  religion 
of  the  State,  and  thus  to  public  order,  on  which  soci- 
ety rests.  Hence  impious  public  preaching,  which 
you  condemned  in  the  parish-priest  Barni ;  hence 
the  offences  against  the  Catholic  religion  and  the 
pontificate  by  means  of  the  press,  which  you  repeat- 
edly punished  both  in  the  journals  and  in  the  printers ; 
hence  other  singular  acts  of  impiety,  also  repressed  by 
penal  justice. 

But  the  work  most  hidden,  though  extensive,  and 
most  destructive  precisely,  because  so  hidden  and 
carried  on  msidiously,  is  that  of  the  Heterodox  sect 
called  the  Evangelical  Confession,  or  of  the  Pure 
Gospel,  and  sometimes  also  called  the  Brethren. 
This  could  not  be  efficaciously  laid  hold  on,  notwith- 
standing the  many  cares,  attempts  and  measures 
adopted  by  government  to  get  at  it,  and  although  it 
was  well  known  to  be  much  extended  in  Florence 
and  in  other  towns,  as  wxll  as  in  the  country. 

It  was  only  on  Sunday  evening,  the  17th  August, 
1851,  that  this  was  accomplished,  by  means  of  access 
and  arrests  at  the  house  of  the  accused,  !Madiai,  fol- 
lowed up  by  the  regular  instructions  which  opened 
the  way  to  this  trial. 

Speaking  now  on  this  matter,  and  it  being  my 
duty  to  sum  up  the  tesults,  and  present  them  before 
you,  I  must  premise  that  of  direct  political  elements, 
the  cause  of  the  Madiai  offers  no  trace.   They  figure 


94  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

in  it  solely  for  the  religions  element,  and  for  the  con- 
sequences thus  produced  upon  public  order.  You 
will  soon,  indeed,  have  to  know  and  judge  another 
affair,  already  passed  to  the  stadio  difensionale,  in 
which  both  elements  are  combined,  and  where  that 
of  religion  figures  only  as  a  means  to  political  dis- 
turbance. We  cannot,  however,  affirm,  nor  do  we 
allege,  that  the  Madiai  knowingly  worked  as  the  in- 
struments or  organs  of  a  political  sect.  The  fleets 
objected  against  them  by  the  accusation  were  direct- 
ed to  themselves,  and  considered  in  their  nature  and 
religious  tendency;  but  in  this  end,  and  in  these  facts, 
exists  in  reality  the  crime  of  attacks  upon  the  religion 
of  the  State,  and  it  is  therefore  indirectly  political. 

This  mode  of  expressing  ourselves  will  clearly 
show  the  spirit  understood  to  be  given,  and  which 
will  be  maintained  with  regard  to  the  accusation. 
No ;  penal  justice  is  not  so  rash  or  foolish  as  to  pre- 
sume to  avenge  the  offended  Majesty  of  God.  And 
when  we  hasten  to  the  defence  of  the  religion  of  the 
State,  we  consider  Catholicism  not  as  what  it  is  in 
itself  and  its  relations  with  God,  but  as  it  regards  the 
advantages  which  it  renders  to  public  order  and  to 
society,  which  entertains,  venerates,  and  favors  it  as 
a  fundamental  necessity  of  its  institution. 

The  intrinsic  dogma  of  the  infallibility  of  its  na- 
ture and  essence,  while  it  does  not  permit  one  to 
suspect  that  the  roch  will  ever  shake,  nor  that  the 
doctrine  which  rests  upon  it  will  diminish  by  one 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  95 

iota,  yet  is  not  a  warrant  or  assurance  that  it  will  be 
permanent  in  our  countries.  This  doctrme  does  not 
support  that  idea,  and  history  proves  the  contrary. 
Therefore,  the  protection  and  defence  which  penal 
justice  affords  is  not  to  it  nor  for  it,  by  means  of  it 
to  the  country  and  to  society ;  and  thus  it  is  a  defence 
of  the  State,  of  its  order,  its  existence  and  prosperity. 

Far  hence,  then,  be  every  apprehension,  every 
anxiety  which — not  in  your  minds,  but  in  those  of 
others  less  experienced — might  give  rise  to  inoppor 
tune  fear  or  exaggerate  wicked  comments.  The  pre- 
sent cause  was  not  originated,  nor  was  it  fed,  by 
indiscreet  and  intolerant  religious  zeal.  The  criminal 
acts  of  others  gave  rise  to  it,  political  necessity  re- 
quired it,  our  duty  demanded  it. 

But  not  for  this  have  we  exceeded,  nor  shall  we 
exceed  by  a  single  line,  pure  legality.  We  venerate, 
(and  who  would  not  do  so '?)  equally  with  any  one, 
individual  liberty  of  conscience,  as  an  internal  sanctu- 
ary which  cannot  be  violated  by  civil  authority  with- 
out the  risk  of  disturbing  the  human  race. 

We  respect  religious  tolerance  so  far  as  the 
guardian  laws  consent  thereto,  so  far  as  is  compati- 
ble with  civil  good  order ;  and  this  is  tantamount  to 
saying,  so  long  as  tolerance  exists,  so  long  as  it  does 
not  degenerate  into  lisence  or  indifference,  whence 
would  arise  that  confusion,  that  clashing  of  different 
beliefs,  which  would  end  m  the  most  deplorable  civil 
disorder. 


96  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

But  what,  it  will  be  urged,  are  the  limits  marked 
out  by  the  laws  of  the  country  for  religious  tolera- 
tion'? You,  gentlemen,  will  fix  them  in  the  sentence. 
We  will  without  further  delay  trace  them  out. 

The  Madiai  were  Catholics  by  birth,  by  educa- 
tion, and  by  many  years'  profession.  They  lately 
apostatized  to  join  the  Evangelical  Confession,  and 
this  they  professed  inwardly,  and  also  externally  in 
the  private  meetings  of  their  co-religionists  here  in 
Tuscany,  and  more  particularly  in  Florence. 

But  for  apostacy  from  Catholicism,  neither  the 
accusation  nor  our  tribunal  has  made  nor  does  make 
any  reproaches.  Neither  is  the  private  profession  of 
the  new  faith  imputed  to  them  as  a  crime,  although 
substantiated  by  an  exterior  act,  perhaps,  of  some 
notoriety;  because  the  law  Avas  placed  under  the 
necessity  either  to  leave  unpunished  such  an  act,  al- 
though connected  with  an  innovation  of  a  bad  prece- 
dent, and  therefore  dangerous — or -to  render  illusory 
individual  liberty  of  conscience  by  hindering  those  ; 
who  unfortunately  changed  their  faith  from  those  ex- 
ternal acts  and  practices,  private  indeed,  but  neces- 
sary to  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the  worship  em- 
braced ;  the  law  of  the  country,  I  say,  has  thought 
it  prudent  and  discreet  to  pass  over  the  first,  rather 
than  the  second  inconveniency. 

In  this  they  are  more  liberal  than  many  Avi-iters 
of  worth,  and  certainly  not  intolerant,  (such  as 
Cremani  and  Forte,)  who,  in  the  profession  of  a  hete- 


REPORT      OF     THE      TRIAL.  97 

redox  faith  by  one  previously  a  Catholic,  considered 
an  external  act  to  constitute  a  real  crime,  punishable 
by  the  tribunals  of  the  State  where  Catholicism  is  pre- 
dominant. They  are  likewise  more  condescending 
than  legislation,  much  more  modern,  particularly  the 
penal  code  of  Sardinia  of  1839,  which  would  have 
sanctioned  the  same  principle  in  the  articles  1G4  and 
165,  accordmg  to  what  the  lawyer  Negroni  observes, 
in  his  treatise  "  On  Ecclesiastical  Jurisdiction  in 
Criminal  Cases,  &c."  printed  at  Novara  in  1843, 
§  22  to  24. 

Let  us  proceed,  gentlemen,  to  the  6th  article  of 
the  law  of  the  5th  July,  1782,  and  to  the  6th  and 
7th  articles  of  the  other  law  of  the  30th  October, 
1784,  and  from  these  combined,  (not  modified  in 
this  respect,  as  concerns  the  laity,  by  the  articles 
agreed  with  Eome  25th  April,  1851,)  it  will  be  easy 
to  gather  that  apostacy,  heresy  and  schism,  as  long 
as  they  are  the  individual  defection  of  the  Catholic 
citizen,  cannot  be  judged  and  punished  in  a  general 
way  as  real  crimes ;  and  that  the  most  that  can  be 
done  in  similar  cases  is  by  admonitions  and  other 
ecclesiastical  recalls,  and  afterwards  by  imploring  the 
secular  power  as  a  precaution  to  send  them  into  exile, 
lest  contact  with  the  erring  should  corrupt  the  good. 

In  this  sense  must  be  understood  Poggi's  "  Elem. 
Jurisp.  Crim.  lib."  2  §  27,  32  and  34,  where  he  ad- 
mits exile  against  the  apostate,  the  heretic  and  the 
schismatic. 

9 


98  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

But  valuable  to  all  are  the  remarks  of  "  Carmi- 
giani,  Jur.  Crim.  elem.  torn.  2  §  715."  "It  is  neces- 
sary that  a  Catholic  prince  diligently  protect  the 
holy  religion  of  our  Fathers.  But  as  we  should 
blush  to  speak  without  having  the  right  to  do  so. 
There  is  no  appointed  punishment  in  our  constitution 
against  heretics,  apostates  and  schismatics ;  it  is  suffi- 
cient, if  they  only  exist  and  have  been  proved  to  be 
obstinately  attached  to  their  errors,  that  they  be 
banished  from  the  State,  lest  they  should  corrupt 
others  by  their  persuasions  or  example." 

And  I  add,  (from  a  complete  exposition  of  Tus- 
can legislation,)  that  the  same  project  of  our  penal 
code,  now  pending  in  examination,  proceeds  in  arti- 
cle 159,  upon  the  same  premises,  i.  e.  not  to  admit 
under  the  category  of  crimes  simple  and  individual, 
apostacy  and  heresy ;  and  there  have  been  given  the 
reasons  for  this  in  the  relative  report  printed  a.  c, 
97  e.  segg. 

But  though  we  do  not  prosecute  the  Madiai  for 
apostacy  from  Catholicism  or  their  own  personal 
profession  of  the  Evangelical  Confession,  we  cannot 
say  the  same  of  their  acts  and  efforts  directed  to 
spreading  among  others  the  same  errors,  to  propa- 
gate in  a  Catholic  country,  and  to  the  prejudice  of 
Catholicism,  this  anti-Catholic  confession. 

When  dissent  in  religion  proceeds  from  personal 
individuality,  and  is  declared  externally  with  a  view 
to  the  corruption  of  others,  or  by  assuming  the  cha- 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  99 

racter  of  proselytism,  all  -s^Titers,  even  the  most  tole- 
rant and  liberal,  (except,  perhaps,  those  who  have 
been,  or  are,  the  voice  of  revolution,)  agree  in  recog- 
nizing it  as  a  crime.  In  such  a  case,  the  religion  of 
the  State  suffers  from  an  attack  on  itself  and  its  pro- 
fessors ;  public  order  is  disturbed  by  it,  and  society 
would  compromise  itself  if  it  left  such  an  act  un- 
noticed and  unpunished.  The  individual  cannot  then 
complain  of  restricted  liberty  of  conscience,  of  inva- 
sion of  the  secrets  of  his  belief,  nor  of  coercion  on 
his  thoughts.  It  is  not  an  evil  of  the  mind,  but  a 
voluntary  delinquency  manifested  in  an  external  act, 
that  we  oppose :  it  is  against  the  evil  which  the 
seductive  efforts  would  propagate,  that  we  place  a 
barrier :  it  is  for  the  defence  of  others  that  we  provide. 

And  here  really  lies,  and  very  reasonably,  the 
difference  between  the  religion  of  the  State  and  the 
other  professions  which  are  tolerated  there;  since, 
while  one  should  and  does  favor  the  diffusion  of  the 
former,  (as  Cremani  observes,  and  after  him,  the 
above-mentioned  report  supplemental  to  the  new 
penal  code,)  to  the  other  professions  is  permitted  its 
private  exercise  to  those  who  belong  to  it ;  but  it  is 
forbidden  them  to  form  a  propaganda,  or  engage  in 
the  work  of  proselytizing,  as  this  is  not  necessary  to 
the  maintenance  and  free  profession  of  one's  ovm 
convictions  and  the  peculiar  principles  of  one's  faith. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  the  authorities,  and  be- 
gin at  the  source.     After  the  peace  given  to  the 


100  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

Church  by  Constantine,  and  after  the  Catholic  was 
pronounced  to  be  the  religion  of  the  State,  [l.  cunctos 
popiclos  cod.  de  suum  trinil,)  the  Emperors  Theo- 
dosius  and  Valentinian,  in  the  I.  eum  quis  cod.  de 
apostat,  thus  expressed  themselves: — "We  find  it 
good  to  punish  by  death  and  confiscation  of  property, 
him  who  by  service,  pers.uasion,  or  by  constrained 
advice,  has  passed  from  the  worship  of  the  Christian 
religion  to  any  of  those  infamous  sects  or  rites." 

"  If  a  Jew  persuades  a  Christian  to  embrace  his 
religion,  he  shall  be  proscribed,  and  suffer  the  punish- 
ment of  death." 

Descending  to  periods  less  remote,  we  may  re- 
mark that  Ferdinand,  the  third  Medicean  Grand 
Duke,  when  on  the  10th  June,  1593,  he  granted  the 
well-know  privileges  to  the  Jews  and  others  not 
Christians,  to  attract  them  to  Leghorn  an^  Pisa, 
took  the  precaution  to  declare,  article  20,  that  "  you 
must  not  dare  to  attempt  in  any  way  to  persuade 
any  Christian  to  join  your  ritual,  and  in  case  of  such 
action  we  desire  that  you  be  punished  severely,  in 
conformity  with  the  laivs.'''' 

I  omit  the  historical  fact  of  the  Huguenots,  not 
accepted  to  people  the  Maremme,  and  that  of  ce- 
meteries and  chapels  so  lately  conceded  to  Protes- 
tants within  the  Grand  Duchy  for  their  private 
religious  services,  although  these  also  prove  the  care 
always  taken  by  the  Prince  and  Government  of 
Tuscany   to   defend    the  country    from   heterodox 


REPORT     OF     THE     TRIAL.  101 

proselytism.  I  return  to  the  writer  on  Criminal 
Law.     Cremoni,  §  15,  expresses  himself  thus: 

"  The  Catholic  prince  has  always  been  careful 
that  those  who  oppose  themselves  to  Catholicism 
should  exercise  themselves  in  their  own  religion  in 
private  only;  and  that  they  should  do  it  without 
harm,  he  made  them  embrace  the  abjured  religion, 
or  Catholic,  in  public.  He  had  a^so  other  rights,  to 
prevent  them  from  being  easily  seduced  by  those 
who  are  abandoned  to  errors. 

"  But  if  the  guilty  person  dares  to  preach  apos- 
tacy  among  us,  and  does  not  blush  to  join  himself 
to  a  party,  he  shall  undoubtedly  undergo  the  pun- 
ishment appointed  by  our  law  against  other  impious 
persons,  the  enemies  of  society." 

Forti  admits  the  same  principle,  Istiting^  Civ. 
art.  115:  "If  an  unhappy  creature,  having  had  the 
misfortune  to  be  born  in  a  place  where  the  divine 
light  of  the  Gospel  had  not  shed  its  rays,  persists 
in  the  error  of  a  false  belief;  if  others,  though 
born  in  the  bosom  of  the  true  religion,  lose  their 
way  in  the  holy  doctrine  taught  by  the  Redeemer, 
proclaimed  by  the  Councils,  and  acknowledged  by 
the  Church,  to  enter  the  road  to  perdition,  falsely 
persuaded  that  this  will  lead  him  to  the  gates  of 
salvation ;  or  if  he  unhappily  nourishes  in  his 
thoughts  some  other  abominable  impiety,  but,  not- 
withstanding this,  respects  outwardly  the  public 
religion  and  public  worship,  does  not  outrage  the 
9* 


102  STORY     OF     THE      MADIAI. 

general  belief,  and  does  not  seek  to  diffuse  in  others 
his  errors  for  the  purpose  of  finding  companions  in 
iniquity,  or  to  become  the  apostle  of  unbelief, — 
society  cannot  have  recourse  to  those  punishments 
which  refer  to  the  external  actions  of  man,  and  con- 
sequently cannot  apply  to  merely  internal  faults. 
The  law  cannot  exalt  itself  to  be  the  supreme  di- 
rector of  consciences,  nor  has  it  the  right  to  arm 
itself  to  constrain  them  to  the  true  faith ;  by  so 
doing,  it  would  put  itself  in  opposition  to  the 
maxims  of  that  same  august  religion  that  it  desires 
to  protect,  and  far  from  removing  impiety  and  er- 
rors, and  preventing  public  scandals,  would  operate, 
perhaps,  more  widely  to  diffuse  them,  and  would 
occasion,  by  the  punishment,  those  evils  which  the 
guilt  itself  would  not  cause. 

"  Punishments  are  bat  evils,  to  which  recourse 
must  only  be  had  in  cases  absolutely  necessary  to 
obviate  greater  evils.  Hence  the  principal  faults 
connected  with  religious  belief,  when  they  do  not 
degenerate  into  proselytism,  being  faults  only  of 
the  mind,  can  only  be  corrected  by  means  tending 
to  enlighten  the  mind,  instead  of  those  directed  to 
coerce  the  will,"  &c. 

And  this  principle  is  sanctioned  for  us  in  the 
60th  article  of  the  law  of  30th  of  November,  1786, 
and  by  the  existing  Legislation  that  explains  it. 

Article  60.  "Whoever  with  impious  intent 
dares  to  profane  the  divine  mysteries,  by  violently 


REPORT      OF     THE      TRIAL.  103 

disturbing  the  sacred  functions  or  otherwise  com- 
mitting public  impiety,  and  whoever  teaches  pub- 
licly maxims  contrary  to  our  holy  religion,"  &c. 

Here,  every  one  will  feel,  three  hypo^ieses  are 
contemplated  : 

1.  The  profanation  or  disturbance  of  the  divine 
mysteries  (turhatio  saciorum). 

2.  The  act  of  public  impiety. 

3.  Public  teaching  of  maxims  contrary  to  the 
Catholic  religion. 

But  with  regard  to  the  three  categories,  as  well 
as  to  the  public  it  f/  inherent  in  the  impious  act  of  the 
second,  and  the  false  teaching  of  the  third  case,  it  is 
known  how  civil  law,  urged  by  the  necessity  of  not 
recognising  defects  in  the  law,  or  to  supply  them 
with  common  right,  has  fixed  and  always  observed, 
amongst  others,  the  following  two  canons  : 

1.  That  the  publicity  above  referred  to  occurs 
when  the  act  has  been  directed  to  7iot  less  than 
three  persons,  although  not  on  purpose  gathered 
together. 

2.  That  even  should  publicity  be  absolutely 
wanting,  the  crime  would  not  therefore  cease,  but 
would  be  punished  with  a  less  hard  penalty  than 
that  of  forced  labour,  (now  the  Ergastolo,)  as  it 
should  be  remembered  that  the  60th  article  of  the 
law  of  17S6  does  not  precisely  define  the  limits  of 
the  crime  against  the  religion  of  the  state ;  but 
rather  indicates  demonstratively  to  what  one  should 


104  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

have  recourse  for  the  purpose  of  measuring  the 
imputation  and  the  penalty ;  and  that  for  the  defi- 
nition and  circumscription  of  the  crime,  one  must 
recur  to  ^e  public  right,  modifying  and  applying 
the  penalty  with  the  spirit  of  the  law  just  quoted, 
of  1786. 

I  do  not  cite  particular  authorities  with  which 
all  are  acquainted,  and  which  you,  gentlemen,  have 
often  examined  and  applied  in  the  last  two  years. 
The  resolution  in  the  case  of  Manfredini,  in  1804, 
may  suffice  for  all. 

Neither  do  I  fear  that  that  will  be  maintained 
which  was  mentioned  before  the  Council  Chamber 
by  the  honorable  defender  of  the  Madiai,  namely, 
that  the  fundamental  statute  of  1848,  not  yet  abo- 
lished at  the  period  of  the  crime  in  question,  en- 
larging the  circle  of  toleration,  and  giving  liberty  to 
every  belief,  rendered  almost  imiwssible  under  its 
dominion  the  crime  of  religious  loroselytimn. 

No:  the  condition  of  Tuscany  was,  in  this 
respect,  under  the  statute  what  it  had  been  before, 
and  what  it  has  now  returned  to  be.  If  the  statute 
did  not  declare,  conformably  with  the  law  of  1st  of 
May,  1814,  that  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Apostolic 
was  the  dominant  religion,  at  least  it  called  it  "  The 
only  religion  of  the  State ;  "  and  the  other  religions 
are  spoken  of  in  the  following  terms  :  "  The  other 
professions  now  existing  are  permitted  conformably 
with  the  laws."     This  permission,  thus  subordinate 


REPORT  OF  THE  TRIAL.       105 

conformably  to  the  existing  laws,  proves  evidently 
that  all  the  principles  of  law  and  jurisprudence,  till 
then  put  forth,  remained  in  full  vigour ;  and  it  was 
so  much  the  more  necessary  to  respect  them,  that 
the  dangers  to  be  avoided  for  the  religion  of  the 
State  were  increased,  by  enlarging  ci\al  liberty, 
and  admitting  all  the  citizens  to  the  public  em- 
ployments. 

Besides,  it  would  be  quite  unreasonable  to  pre- 
tend that  this  liberty  opened  the  way  to  such  great 
and  lax  toleration,  since  every  one  might  have  said, 
done,  and  preached,  or  at  least  taught  in  matters  of 
religion,  whatever  they  pleased  to  the  Catholics. 
Knowledge  of  such  a  flict  would  of  necessity  have 
led  to  latitudinarianism,  and  thus  have  cancelled  the 
fu"st  words  of  the  statute,  that  it  was  founded  only 
on  Catholicism. 

Too  many,  both  here  and  elsewhere,  have,  in 
fact,  shown  that  they  understood  it  in  the  former 
manner,  because  that  suited  them;  but  this  was 
license,  not  liberty,  not  rectitude  but  calumny,  not 
right  but  crime.  And  one  should  be  answerable 
for  this. 

Gentlemen,  I  have  endeavoured  thus  far  to  ex- 
plahi,  with  doctrinal  and  reasonable  deductions,  all 
that  m  history  or  right  seemed  to  me  strictly 
necessary  clearly  to  dispose,  appreciate,  and  resolve 
on  the  present  cause.  I  will  now  come  nearer  the 
case  itself,  and  speak  of  Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai. 


106  STORY     OP     THE     MADIAI. 

The  act  of  accusation,  already  known,  dispenses 
with  the  necessity  of  making  a  long  exposition  of 
the  elementary  facts  which  are  there  collected,  and 
I  believe,  with  truth,  precision,  and  without  ex- 
aggeration. 

The  results  of  the  trial  seem  to  me  to  have 
verified  and  explained  them,  as  much  as  was  neces- 
sary not  only  for  legal,  but  moral  conviction. 

I  mention  particularly  the  entire,  irrefragable 
depositions  of  Antonietta  Marsini  and  Antonia 
Zaccagnini,  which  are  very  full  upon  all  the  charges 
brought  to  bear  not  only  on  Madiai,  but  also  on 
his  wife.  Their  modes  of  deposition,  the  coincidence 
between  them  in  many  circumstances,  as  well  as  in 
other  depositions  and.  in  the  documents:  the  fact 
.that  they  could  have  had  no  interest  to  lie  or  ca- 
lumniate, powerfully  speaks  iii  their  favor,  and 
recommend  them  to  your  justice  and  conscience. 
I  cannot  admit  any  valid  objections  against  belief 
in  their  testimony.  If  there  appear  to  be  any,  they 
are  hazarded  with  respect  to  the  woman  Madiai, 
but  all  irrelevant,  inconclusive,  and  not  verified,  nor 
capable  of  being  verified.  These  depositions  suffice, 
in  my  opinion,  to  decide  in  favor  of  the  accusation. 

We  may,  nevertheless,  also  take  into  account 
the  frequent  discussions  of  Vecchioni,  either  with 
Madiai  or  his  wife,  in  which  they  inculcated  false 
and  impious  principles,  intending  "to  turn  aside 
her  also,"  so  that  for  this  reason  she  ceased  to 


REPORT  OF  THE  TRIAL.       107 

■work  in  their  service.  Nor  must  we  overlook  the 
depositions  of  Bucciolini  with  regard  to  the  wicked 
insinuations  of  Madame  Madiai,  and  the  doubts  of 
the  above-mentioned  Marsini  and  Zaccagnini  at  an 
unsuspected  period. 

We  may  also  add,  with  regard  to  Francesco 
Madiai,  the  depositions  of  Guiseppe  Centofonti, 
Guiseppe  Cavaciocclii,  Serafmo  Vannini,  and  Enrico 
Matterassi. 

From  the  declarations  of  the  witnesses  above- 
named,  it  is  proved  that  the  Madiai  gave  accom- 
modation in  their  house  to  the  Evangelical  reunions, 
not  only  for  the  exercise  and  confirmation  of  the 
converts,  but  also  for  instruction  for  others,  for 
the  most  part  Florentines  of  low  extraction,  and 
Catholics,  and  also  little  children,  who  should  have 
been  sustained  and  brought  up  in  Catholicism. 
That  these  were  generally  gathered  together  in 
the  evening,  and  sometimes  in  the  day,  and  that  a 
certain  Malan,  an  Evangelical  minister,  came  there 
to  teach  those  initiated,  but  not  ^yet  admitted  to 
communion,  and  after  he  was  banished  from 
Florence,  others  came  in  his  stead  and  performed 
his  part. 

It  has  been  proved  that  in  this  house  they  re- 
ceived, kept,  and  distributed,  personally,  and  by 
means  of  decurione,  books  and  tracts  of  the  Evan- 
gelical sect,  printed  in  London,  Florence,  or  else- 
where ;    that  this    distribution   in    the  town   and 


108  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

country  was  not  made  by  Macliai  alone,  but  also 
by  his  -ft^ife  (as  well  as  others,)  who  sometimes 
rejoiced,  at  the  increase  of  brethren,  and  the  recent 
success  of  the  propaganda,  compared  with  the  pre- 
ceding sterility.  Among  the  said  books  were  the 
Bible  in  the  Italian  of  Diodati,  and  prayer-books  of 
the  Protestant  sects,  which  were  given  to  Zaccagnini 
and  Marsini,  and  sold  for  a  small  sum  also  to 
Materassi  and  Centofanti,  as  well  as  to  others  not 
known. 

It  has  been  proved  that  the  Madiai  (who  had 
hung  up  in  a  room  a  small  print  quite  opposed  to 
Catholicism)  did  not  lose  opportunities  to  instruct 
in,  and  draw  to,  their  creed  even  Catholics,  by  ridi- 
culing and  throwing  discredit  on  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  Catholic  dogma,  and  substituting 
others  of  their  sect.  The  act  of  accusation  sums 
up  the  principal  errors  by  them  inculcated,  which 
are  many  and  diverse.  All  have  been  proved  by 
the  depositions  of  the  witnesses,  and  they  may  also 
be  proved  by  tiie  so-called  articles  of  religion  in 
the  said  book  of  Protestant  prayers  given  to  Mar- 
sini by  Madame  Madiai.  These  errors,  and  this 
impiety,  cannot  be  classed  as  such  without  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Church.  But  as  they  consist  in  the 
elementary  principles,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  refer, 
as  was  done  in  the  case  of  Barni,  to  the  most  obvious 
and  elementary  opinions  of  the  Christian  doctrine, 
as  well  as  to  the  rules  and  discipline  of  the  Council 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  109 

o{  Trent.  I  will  not  pause  to  make  the  comparison, 
for  fear  of  further  wearying  the  court,  but  I  can 
assure  you  that  there  is  no  error  mentioned  in  the 
act  of  accusation  which  has  not  been  condemned  by 
a  canon  of  the  said  Council,  or  other  earlier  oecu- 
menical Councils. 

It  has  been  proved,  finally,  that  the  woman 
Zaccagnini  was  much  loosened  from  her  Catholic 
convictions  by  the  plausible  address  of  Madame 
]\Iadiai,  and  perhaps,  also,  by  the  benefits  she 
bestowed  or  procured  for  them  from  others ;  and 
]^,Iarsini  was  still  more  disturbed,  and  was  induced 
by  the  insinuations  of  IMadame  Madiai  to  dispense 
with  scapularies  and  rosaries,  and  was  induced 
twice  to  partake  (as  they  say)  of  the  communion ; 
it  signifying  little  that  the  first  time  she  did  it  of 
her  own  will,  blinded  by  the  corruption  of  her 
mind,  caused  by  the  teaching  of  the  said  woman 
Madiai. 

In  these  facts,  it  seems  to  me,  there  is  proof  of 
entire  and  consummate  impiety,  of  proselytism, 
1  which,  I  repeat,  ought  to  be  considered  as  impiety  of 
act  resulting,  that  is,  from  smgle  or  diverse  acts,  in 
which  oral  teaching  only  constitutes  one  part,  and 
which,  therefore,  will  fall  under  the  second  rather 
than  under  the  third  category  (though  this  a  matter 
of  mdifference)  of  crimes  in  the  GOth  article  of  the 
law  quoted  of  1786. 

Neither  is  it  necessary  to  recur  to  the  aid  of  the 


110  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

jurisprudence  as  far  as  regards  publicity^  since  the 
teaching  has  been  secretly  diffused,  and  given  or 
procured  individually,  or  almost  individually.  That 
did  not  consist  merely  in  oral  teaching  of  anti 
Catholic  doctrines,  if  we  duly  appreciate  the  de 
positions  of  the  oft-mentioned  Zaccagnini  and 
Marsini. 

But  leaving  this,  and  proceeding  with  the  crite- 
rion of  regarding  proselytism  as  an  ascertained  fact, 
resulting  from  many  and  diverse  individual  facts, 
it  is  easy  to  arrive  at  the  flict  of  publicity^  and  not 
only  that  real,  actual,  effectual,  which  would, 
indoed,  be  sufficient  as  far  as  regards  the  natural 
inevitable  consequence  of  the  act,  but  also  that 
inherent  to  the  act  itself,  and  thus  part  or  portion 
of  the  same. 

The  repeated  admission  to  the  domestic  con- 
ferences of  many  people,  (sometimes  above  thirty, 
often  more  than  ten,  latterly  only,  in  consequence 
of  the  increased  risk  incurred  on  account  of  the 
greater  vigilance  of  the  Government,  reduced  in 
number  to  four  or  five,)  this  repeated  and  frequent 
admission,  I  say,  of  many  people,  not  yet  all  se- 
parated from  Catholicism,  but  on  the  way  to  sepa- 
ration, and  to  perfect  or  confirm  themselves  in  the 
evil ;  the  convenience  and  aid  afforded  to  the  dis- 
tribution of  books  and  tracts  calculated  to  lead 
astray,  are  facts  which  plainly  and  truly  indicate 
publicity,  and  which  cannot  be  separated  from  this 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  Ill 

without  destroying  them.  In  this  sense,  and  with 
these  same  causes,  does  Raffaelli  understand  publi- 
city in  his  Nomatesia  Fenale,  quoted  and  reported 
by  Robertl  Diritto  Penale,  torn,  iv.,  art.  53  ;  the 
said  Roberti  likewise  understands  it  in  this  sense, 
and  thus,  also,  the  Sardinian  penal  code,  cit.  art. 
164,  recognising  it  in  the  dispatch  or  distribution  of 
books,  or  other  printed  works  attacking  religion,  as 
well  as  in  public  teaching  or  public  harangues.  (  V. 
Negroni^  toe.  cit.  sec.  22.) 

For  the  rest,  it  was  public  and  notorious  that 
there  existed  a  confession  of  the  pure  Gospel ;  public 
and  notorious  that  this  was  directed  against  Catho- 
licism, and  loudly  and  unweariedly  declared  against 
certain  legislative  and  Government  measures ;  public 
and  notorious  that  the  Madiai  belonged  to  the  said 
confession ;  finally,  public  and  notorious  (and  this  is 
to  the  point)  that  they  took  part  efficaciously  and 
heartily  in  the  propagation  of  the  false  doctrine,  in 
the  distribution  of  wicked  books  ;  so  that  the  priest 
of  their  parish  felt  himself  compelled  to  make  a 
report  of  it  to  the  episcopal  authority,  to  be  ena- 
bled to  provide  a  remedy,  as  it  treated  really  of 
doctrine.  Thus  publicity  in  the  sense  and  for  the 
requirements  of  the  law  was  not  wanting ;  on  the 
contrary,  it  was  great,  therefore  scandalous  and 
highly  hurtful. 

Of  the  guilty  intention,  I  do  not  think  a  ques- 
tion can  arise.     It  is  inherent  in  the  criminal  fact. 


112  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

Whoever  works  the  Protestant  propaganda,  to  the 
prejudice  of  Catholicism,  intends  and  desires  that 
this  should  fall,  and  that  prevail.  No  one  would 
proselytize  without  desiring  to  do  harm  to  the 
object  against  which  he  wars.  This  appears  clear 
to  me,  and  this  exhausts  the  formal  reality  of  the 
crime.  The  analogous  terms,  if  you  choose,  may  ' 
be  seen  in  the  learned  observations  of  the  "  Ruota 
Criminale,"  in  the  celebrated  cause  of  sacrilege 
and  falsity,  against  the  priest  Borsini,  concluded 
by  the  decision  of  14th  May,  1831. — Belatore 
Bologna. 

I  will  not  expatiate  on  the  depositions  of  the  wit- 
nesses, called  in  favor  of  the  Madiai,  and  particu- 
larly of  Hosa.*  They  appear  to  me  quite  irrelevant 
to  the  cause.  Most  of  them  apply  to  a  period  pre- 
vious to  that  in  which  Madame  Madiai  declares  to 
have  decidedly  and  really  abandoned  the  Catholic 
communion,  to  join  the  Evangelical ;  and  all  those 
who  speak  of  acts  of  respect  to  the  articles  of  reli- 
gion, to  the  sacraments,  priests,  saints,  undoubtedly 
refer  to  a  time  previous  to  that  included  in  the 
present  cause.     None  of  them,  besides,  relates  facts 

*  The  advocate  then  entered  on  a  long  argument  in  favor 
of  Rosa  Madiai,  on  the  plea  that  she  had,  on  various  occa- 
sions, as  declared  by  the  witnesses,  acted  as  though  she  had 
still  been  of  the  Eomish  church.  This  was  done  in  order  to 
prove  that  she  did  not  openly  insult  the  Roman  Catholic  reli- 
gion. We  do  not  undertake  to  defend  his  line  of  argument. — 
Trans. 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  113 

which  destroy  or  shake  those  of  the  accusation.  That 
to  a  priest  and  Catholic  cure,  conducted  into  their 
house  by  a  relation,  the  Madiai  should  even  in 
1851  show  themselves  as  Catholics,  and  not  tempt 
to  convert  him,  was  but  too  natural,  and  I  will  say 
necessary,  as  well  as  prudent,  particularly  at  a  time 
when  the  Government  operations  had,  in  many 
ways,  and  on  many  occasions,  shown  themselves 
against  the  work  of  their  sect.  The  same  will  hold 
good  with  respect  to  what  Rosa  did  before  a  person 
who,  at  another  time,  had  seen  her  maintain  the  part 
of  a  good  Catholic,  at  the  bedside  of  an  infirm  and 
dying  woman. 

The  acts  of  goodness,  natural  probity,  and  bene- 
volence, that  Madame  Madiai  wished  to  urge  in  ar- 
rest of  judgment,  may  cause  one  to  grieve  more 
over  her  separation  from  Catholicism,  but  cannot 
free  her  from  the  present  crime  and  accusation,  nor 
diminish  the  imputation  cast  upon  her. 

To  estimate  this,  one  must,  I  think,  take  into  ac- 
count the  more  aggravated  evil,  that  the  Madiai 
were  Catholics,  and  the  greater  scandal  that  this 
circumstance  produced  and  maintains,  and  their  ob- 
stinacy, which  does  not  decrease,  but  rather  gains 
strength  in  the  face  of  the  special  government  and 
legislative  measures. 

Neither  do  I  think  that  after  these  measures,  par- 
ticularly after  the  law  of  the  25th  April,  1851,  and 
the  condemnation,  in  consequence,  of  Count  Guicciar- 
10* 


114  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

dini,  of  Betti  and  others,  their  co-religionists,  one 
can  speak  of  the  good  faith  of  the  Madiai,  or  of  their 
having  any  doubts  as  to  the  nature  of  what  they 
did  cautiously  and  with  reserve,  plainly  showing 
their  consciousness  of  not  being  permitted  to  do  so. 
Things  being  in  this  position,  the  case  of  the 
Madiai  offers,  if  I  mistake  not,  all  that  weight  of 
criminality  for  which  the  60th  article  of  the  law  of 
1786  desires,  that  such  crimes  be  punished  "  with 
the  utmost  rigor,  and  never  with  a  less  penalty  than 
of  forced  labor  ;"  which  had,  and  still  has,  means  to 
apply  itself  to  the  greatest  as  well  as  to  the  least 
degrees  of  crime.  I  do  not  propose  a  difference  be- 
tween the  two  accused,  because  their  guilt  appears 
to  me  equal,  considered  thus  in  the  lawful  facts  of 
harm,  as  in  the  formal  reality  of  action. 

In  the  case  of  Buletti,  (decided  7th  August, 
1851,)  you  fixed  the  term  of  imprisonment  at  thir- 
teen months  ;  in  thatofMesseri,  (decided  the  13th  of 
the  same  month,)  you  ordered  the  same  punish- 
ment for  a  year.  But  in  these  cases  the  impiety 
consisted  in  single  and  isolated  facts  of  contempt  for 
the  sacred  image  ;  scandalous  facts,  undoubtedly,  but ; 
such,  however,  while  they  show  the  depravity  of  ^ 
mind,  and  irreligion  of  the  agents,  as  do  not  so 
easily  disturb  the  faith  of  others,  nor  bear  a  hostile 
attack  on  the  religion  of  the  state,  being  in  their  na- 
ture disagreeable  and  repulsive.  The  crime  of  the 
Madiai,  politically  considered,  in  itself  and  in  the 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  115 

means  employed,  is  much  graver  and  more  hurtful 
than  those.  I  do  not  thhik  I  shall  exaggerate,  how- 
ever, if  I  make  my  final  request  for  one  of  the  infe- 
rior degrees  oi"  exemplary  punishment. 


Defence  of  the  Accused^  by  the  Sign.  Odvardo 
Maggiorani. 

"  In  matters  of  religion  we  ought  to  avoid  the 
use  of  the  penal  laws.  It  is  true  that  these  laws 
cause  fear:  but  since  religion  has  its  own  penal 
laws,  which  also  cause  fear,  one  must  be  conquered 
by  the  other."  Placed  between  these  two,  the 
minds  of  men  become  ferocious. 

Eeligion  has  great  threatenings,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  great  promises ;  so  that  when  these  are  pre- 
sent to  our  mind,  "  whatever  may  be  done  by  the 
judge  to  make  us  abandon  our  religion,  it  seems  as 
though  he  leave  us  nothing  if  he  take  that  away,  and 
that  he  takes  away  nothing   if  he  leave  us  that."* 

These  solemn  words  of  Montesquieu  sum  up  all 
the  questions  which  I  shall  propose  to  you.  They 
are  at  the  same  time  the  conclusion  and  the  com- 
mencement  of  the  weighty  arguments  by  which  I 
desire  to  be  able  to  prove  to  you,  that  society  has 
ntothing  to  hope  from  judicial  inquisitions,  but  rather 

*  Montesquieu,  de  I'Esprit  des  Lois,  liv.  xxv.  ch.  12. 


116  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI 

everything  to  fear,  if  it  is  attempted,  by  means 
of  these,  to  arrest  the  progress  of  heterodox  ideas. 
Such  proof  would  not  be  without  its  value.  It 
would  seem  to  me  opportune,  when,  for  the  first 
time  in  these  halls  is  sounded  an  accusation  of  pros- 
elytism^  and  the  wise  custom  is  broken  which  ban- 
ished from  our  law  the  sanction  of  this  crime.  It 
would  seem  to  me  opportune,  when  you  and  I  (in- 
deed who  does  not  see  it  ?)  are  witnesses  of  the  inter- 
est taken  in  this  judgment  by  the  public  conscience, 
which,  a  short  time  ago,  had  not  even  a  suspicion 
that  the  bases  of  civil  and  religious  society  were  un- 
dermined, and  which  now  stands  in  apprehension 
lest  the  already  enormous  weight  of  our  political 
calamities,  if  not  added  to,  should  be  aggravated  by 
a  question  which  of  itself  alone,  (I  will  not  say 
where  the  fault  lies,)  has  sufficed  to  desolate,  for 
many  centuries,  the  greater  part  of  the  Christian 
world.  The  public  mind  had  not  foreseen  this  mis- 
fortune at  which  to-day  it  feels  so  troubled.  Not 
long  ago  it  openly  applauded  a  great  genius^'  who, 
treating  of  the  political  question,  proclaimed  that 
Italy  could  never  become  Protestant ;  and  this  ap- 
plause, if  it  was  a  homage  rendered  to  truth,  should 
have  been  worth,  as  a  guarantee,  that  no  one  would 
be  hardy  enough  to  lend  a  hand  to  the  rash  undertak- 
ing. This  unusual  cry  of  the  accusation  fills  with 
sudden  terror  the  ignorant  city,  which  cannot  per 

*  Gioberti,  3el  Primato  morale  e  civile  degl'  Italiani. 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  117 

suade  itself  that  its  religion  can  have  so  suddenly 
been  placed  in  so  much  danger,  that  the  disturbance 
of  a  trial  can  be  preferable  to  that  generous  and  in- 
trepid toleration  which,  in  our  public  right,  is  almost 
traditional. 

The  novelty  of  tlie  accusation,  however,  the  pub- 
lic fear,  the  harm  which  is  certain  to  arise  from  this 
judgment  would  persuade  me  to  discourse,  at  some 
length,  on  the  great  questions  summed  up  in  the 
words  of  the  ancient  President  of  the  Parliament  of 
Bourdeaux.  But  I  am  not  of  such  long  standing, 
neither  is  this  the  place  to  discuss  that  which  apper- 
tains to  a  merely  moral  order,  unless  it  reflects  di- 
rectly on  the  judicial  question. 

To  define,  by  its  extremes,  the  crime  of  pros- 
elytism — to  inquire  if  these  extremes  are  to  be 
found  in  the  flicts  objected  against  the  accused — to 
show  the  invalidity  or  irrelevance  of  these  facts: 
such  is  the  office  to  which  it  is  necessary  that  I  con- 
fine myself. 

And  I  announce  it  to  you,  now :  but  that  I  may 
propose  to  you  an  exact  definition  of  the  title^  I  must 
premise,  with  some  considerations,  which  are  of  use 
to  separate  it  from  what  does  not  belong  to  it.  You 
and  I  ought  to  determine  the  crime  of  proselytism 
by  the  guidance  of  our  civil  and  penal  laws:  to  sepa- 
rate from  this  cause  all  that  regards  a  different  and 
superior  order,  and  which  might  easily  be  confused 
in  our  researches.     To  this  I  confine  myself,  examin- 


118  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

ing  what  are  the  relations  of  these  laws  with  reli- 


'b 


Liberty  of  conscience,  the  toleration  of  all  reli- 
gious opinions,  these  great  fundamental  principles  of 
our  public  right,  are  those  which  rule  the  question. 
Political  reasons,  civil  reasons*  economical  reasons, 
moral  or  Christian  reasons,  all  concur  in  guarantee- 
ing its  inviolability. 

The  state  represents,  in  the  political  order,  soci- 
ety such  as  it  is,  in  its  reality,  in  its  internal  divi- 
sions, with  its  intellectual  and  moral  dissensions. 
Its  purpose  is  to  assure  to  all  men,  whatever  the 
differences  that  separate  them,  those  conditions  of 
their  intellectual,  moral,  religious  or  material  devel- 
opment, which  the  conscience  of  each  one  has 
judged  preferable.  Even  the  atheist,  according  to 
Filangieri,  has  a  right  to  social  protection.  Accord- 
ing to  others,  to  him  alone  may  this  protection  bo 
denied,  because  atheism  is  not  a  religious  doctrine, 
and  the  State  need  not  lend  it  any  succor :  secondly, 
every  man  ought  to  be  free  to  profess  the  religion 
which  best  pleases  him,  but  one  he  ought  to  profess, 
and  there  is  no  religion  without  the  eternal  principle 
of  God.  Therefore,  every  religion  has  a  right  to  be 
tolerated  by  the  state,  which  abandons  error  to  the 
fate  reserved  for  it,  that  is,  to  be  destroyed  by  the 
progressive  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

And  that  which  is  in  the  nature  of  the  state  ia 
also  for  its  best  interests.     Since  sound  policy  re- 


I 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  119 

quires  that  men  should  not  be  provoked  to  violation 
of  the  law,  nor  to  martyrdom ;  and  whoever  acts 
otherwise,  may  be  called  as  imprudent,  as  inhuman. 

And  if  it  is  important  to  society  that  every  in- 
dividual should  have  a  religion,  what  can  it  augur 
from  him  who  should  be  obliged  to  profess  to 
have  one,  to  which  his  conscience  cannot  lend 
itself? 

More  than  this:  material  punishment  inflicted 
by  the  state  exalts  the  error,  and  confers  upon  it  an 
importance  which,  perhaps,  it  has  not :  irritates  the 
mind,  invites  retaliation,  and  renders  legitimate,  in 
some  manner,  civil  war. 

To  these  political  reasons  may  be  added  civil 
ones.  Since  the  first  possession  of  man  is  that  of 
the  thoughts  and  conscience,  a  possession  free  and 
inviolable,  a  faculty  which  cannot  be  coerced,  upon 
which  God  himself  acts  by  the  grace  and  light  of 
truth.  "  If  the  origin  of  social  power  should  be  de- 
rived from  the  tacit  or  presumed  consent  of  the  peo- 
ple, it  is  easy  to  prove  that  it  could  never  have  been 
the  intention  of  any  man  to  limit  personal  liberty, 
beyond  what  was  necessary  for  the  preservation  and 
advancement  of  the  social  condition."*  Hence  one 
eould  not,  without  invading  the  most  sacred  of  pos- 
sessions, impose  on  the  human  conscience  a  religion 
istasteful  to  it. 


ai. 


*  Forti,  ist.  civ.  lib,  2  cap,  2  $  56. 


120  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

In  the  third  place,  we  haye  economical  reasons  : 
since  there  cannot  be  material  prosperity  in  a  state 
where  religious  intolerance  makes  of  a  part  of  the 
citizens,  and  sometimes  the  most  considerable,  a 
class  of  persons  unrecognized,  denies  them  the  bene- 
fits of  the  common  law,  interdicts  them  public  offi- 
ces, degrades  in  them  the  moral  sense,  and  clips  the 
wings  of  all  noble  aspirations.  This,  besides  being  an 
enormous  injustice,  is  a  political  error.  It  is  an  in- 
justice, because  if  you  except  the  atheist  or  him  who 
professes  a  religion  of  depraved  morality,  every  dis- 
senter may  not  only  nourish,  but  constantly  exercise 
most  scrupulously,  the  maxims  of  honesty  and  up- 
rightness. It  is  a  political  error,  because,  if  no  one  can 
deny  that  religion,  as  an  internal  sanction  of  the 
truth,  is  one  of  the  greatest  guarantees  for  the  good 
of  society,  then  it  is  likewise  certain  that,  considered 
in  this  point  of  view  of  social  utility,  it  satisfies 
the  civil  wants  of  men  under  whatever  form  of  wor- 
ship, and  with  whatever  dogmatical  doctrine.  True 
it  is  that  one  ought  not  to  participate  in  the  errors 
of  others;  but  society  ought  not  to  expel  others 
from  her  midst  because  they  hold  different  convic- 
tions. "  One  ought  not  to  hate  him  who  errs 
on  account  of  the  error,  nor  love  the  error  on  ac- 
count of  love  to  him  who  errs."*  History  warns  us 
how,  in  former  times,  the  economical  conditions  Oi 

*  Greg.  I.  43. 


REPORT      OF      THE     TRIAL.  121 

society  were  extremely  deteriorated  where  intoler- 
ance flourished,  whereas  they  were  wonderfully  ad- 
K'antaged  where  the  contrary  principle  was  carried 
|0ut.  The  Republic  of  Venice,  compared  with  the 
rest  of  Italy,  and  still  more  strikingly  with  the  other 
nations  at  that  struggling  epoch,  proves  this  truth.  * 

But  even  if  all  these,  and  many  other  reasons, 
ifailed  to  persuade  one  that  the  principle  of  liberty 
of  conscience  and  religious  toleration  should  be  re- 
pspected.  Christian  morality  would  yet  plead  for  it, 
femd  the  interests  of  religion,  in  the  name  of  which 
jprimitive  justice  is  invoked. 

"  The  morality  of  the  Gospel  was  announced  to 
jthe  nations  as  a  law  of  charity.  According  to  the 
A-postle  Paul,  charity  enlivens  faith,  and  holds  the 
[irst  place  among  the  Christian  virtues.  This  charity 
embraces  all  the  human  race,  comprehending  Chris- 
tians and  infidels,  righteous  and  sinners.  The  differ- 
mce  of  faith  does  not  free  one  from  the  natural 
obligations  of  humanity,  nor  from  the  civil  obliga- 
tions imposed  by  the  law,  or  arising  from  convention, 
rhe  Christian  ought  to  hate  the  sm,  flee  from  the 
dangers  to  which  the  sinner  might  expose  him ;  but 
cannot,  by  reason  of  the  sin,  cease  to  consider  as  a 
jnaan  him  whom  he  knows  to  be  guilty.  To  those 
fw-ho  err,  should  be  given  counsels,  admonitions,  and 
iraternal  correction ;  but  they  cannot  be  put  beyond 

*  Darn,  Hist,  de  Venise. 
11 


122  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

the  law  of  humanity.  This  doctrine,  derived  from 
the  purest  fountains,  was  taught  even  in  those  times 
when  practice  seemed  most  to  contradict  it.  Those 
very  laws  which  conceded  unbounded  lisence  towards 
the  persons  of  the  heretics,  nevertheless  supposed 
that  they  acted  without  hatred  or  without  personal 
rancor,  almost  as  delegates  of  the  public  authority. 

*  %  %  Human  life  is  a  time  of  grace  and  hope, 
nor  can  man,  who  is  ignorant  of  the  mysteries  of 
Divine  Providence,  take  upon  himself  to  decide  if 
his  brother,  who  lives  in  error,  may  not  in  time  ren- 
der the  most  splendid  testimony  to  the  truth.     * 

*  ^'  To  punish  error  with  temporal  penalties,  is 
to  anticipate  Divine  justice,  and  almost  to  despair 
of  truth.  Persecution  renders  the  persecuted  more 
obstinate ;  gives  the  consolation  of  the  affections  to 
their  opinions ;  cuts  short  the  road  to  mature  reflec- 
tion, and  multiplies  the  moral  impediments  to  re- 
pentance. Hence  it  appears  that  the  practice  of 
seeking  out  the  private  opinion  of  individuals,  and 
making  it  an  article  of  crime,  is  opposed  to  the  good 
of  religion.  The  distinction  between  the  internal 
and  external  forum  is  essential  not  only  to  civil,  but 
to  ecclesiastical  laws."  ^'' 

Droz,  after  having  said  that  he  hopes  never  more 
to  see  persecutions  nor  religious  wars,  and  that  this 
century  may  not  end  before  the  work  of  re-union 

*  Forti,  loc.  cit. 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  123 

already  attempted  by  Bossnet  is  undertaken  again, 
adds :  "  To  prepare  the  way  for  that  union  which 
will  fill  heaven  and  earth  with  joy,  let  us  show  our- 
selves always  just,  affectionate,  ready  to  do  service 
to  our  deluded  brethren.  Much  is  done  towards 
the  union  of  mind  when  hearts  are  brought  near 
together.  They  know  not  how  much  harm  they  do 
who  exaggerate  Catholic  principles,  and  thus,  without 
intending  it,  alter  the  Word  of  God.  They  terrify 
minds  which  need  encouragement ;  their  bitter  lan- 
guage drives  back  those  who  would  walk  towards 
them,  while  the  voice  of  charity  produces  effects 
very  different."* 

If  to  these  reflections  you  would  add  the  authority 
of  the  Church,  you  will  find  as  much  as  you  can 
desire. 

St.  Gregory,  in  the  most  unhappy  times  of 
Cliristianity,  denominates  tyrannical  the  punish- 
ments inflicted  on  heretics,  since  the  misfortune 
which  is  a  consequence  of  the  fault  seemed  to  him 
sufficient  punishment.  He  says  there  are  evils 
which  cannot  be  cured  by  punishment,  but  must  be 
tolerated.  And  even  the  Apostolic  Constitutions 
contain  this  teaching,  said  to  be  of  St.  Ambrose,  f 

*  Droz,  pensieri  sul  cristianesimo,  e  prove  d'ella  sua 
verita — versione  italiana  del  padre  Tauzini  $  27. 

t  Greg.  ii.  34 ;  v.  2 ;  xii  24  xi.  46.  Conct.  ap.  vi.  23. 
Ambr.  ep,  82.     Greg.  xiii.  2. 


124  STORY      OF      THE      MA  DIAL 

In  another  place,  after  having  inculcated  that 
Dissenters  should  not  be  driven  back  with  violence, 
Gregory  adds,  that  whoever  acts  differently,  shows 
that  he  has  at  heart  his  own  cause  more  than  that  of 
God. 

%  *  *  *  % 

With  these  maxims,  and  to  this  teaching,  fact 
does  not  always  accord.  Let  us  cover  with  a  black 
veil  those  monuments  of  the  ferocity  which  dared  to 
call  itself  the  keeper  and  vindicator  of  the  Gospel. 
We  should  regulate  our  actions  by  the  divine  law, 
and  not  by  human  passions;  and  the  divine  law 
cannot  be  more  explicit. 

The  Apostolic  Constitutions  declare  that  it  w^as 
forbidden  to  every  bishop,  priest,  or  deacon  to  speak 
to  the  unbelievers,  or  to  force  them  to  change  their 
religion.  Chrysostom  teaches  that  one  ought  not  to 
recall  Christians  from  error  by  coercion  and  violence, 
because  against  error  no  other  force  is  given  to 
Christians  but  that  of  the  word  ;  and  if  this  does  not 
avail,  all  is  lost. 

These  are  the  rules  of  Christian  morals,  which 
make  liberty  of  conscience  and  religious  toleration 
a  necessary,  inviolable  principle.  Sound  philosophy 
had  indicated  this  before  the  light  of  revelation  shone 
on  the  human  mind.  Cicero  had  proclaimed  that 
religion  cannot  be  preserved  by  violence  and  fear, 
but  by  those  relations  with  wliich  man  binds  himself 
to  God. 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  125 

And  conformably  to  these  maxims  \vc  find  the 
Fathers  of  the  Church  to  have  acted.  Indeed  more 
than  once  St.  Gregory  gave  a  safe  conduct  to  the 
heretics,  to  take  away  every  suspicion  that  he  wished 
to  use  violence  ;  which  proves  that  he  had  the  power 
to  punish,  but  did  not  choose  to  make  use  of  it. 
And  St.  Ilario  prayed  the  emperor  to  permit  the 
people  to  choose  freely  their  masters,  and  bitterly 
lamented  that  the  church  would  constrain  people  to 
the  faith  by  exiles  and  prisons,  almost  accusing  of 
weakness  that  Christ,  whose  name  they  make  a  cloak 
for  their  own  ambition. 

I  will  not  go  on  seeking  the  many  examples  I 
could  adduce  to  prove  to  you  that  civil  persecution 
never  succeeded  in  extirpating  heresies,  but  rather 
taught  how  they  miiiht  be  maliciously  propagated. 
If  you  glance  at  the  history  of  the  first  centuries  of 
the  Christian  era,  down  to  modern  times,  you  will 
find  sufficient  to  persuade  you  of  this.  From  the 
time  of  the  Goths  who,  under  Theodoric  brought 
Arianism  among  us,  down  to  the  errors  of  Hermes 
and  Ronge,  what  has  not  been  done  to  extirpate 
Anti-Catholic  creeds'?  Still  we  have  never  succeeded, 
and  the  occasion  for  heresy,  given  by  St.  Paul,*  has 
now  received  the  seal  of  nineteen  centuries. 

To  one  single  example  will  I  refer,  to  prove  that 

*  1  Cor.  xi.  19.  "  For  there  must  also  be  heresies  among 
you,  that  they  which  are  approved  may  be  made  manifest 
among  you." 

11* 


126  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

only  with  mildness  and  counsel  it  has  been  possible 
in  some  places  to  obtain  what  processes  and  condem- 
nations did  not  procure  in  the  greater  part  of  the 
world.  The  blood  of  the  Huguenots  inundated,  for 
two  months,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  the  whole  of 
Trance.  Was  heresy  conquered?  Civil  war  arose 
more  tremendous  than  ever,  and  in  1598  was  pro- 
mulgated the  edict  of  Nantes,  which  secured  to  the 
Protestants  the  exercise  of  their  worship,  and  the 
rights  of  citizens.  Such  was  the  last  result  of  the 
massacre  that  rendered  memorable  the  fearful  night 
of  St.  Bartholomew. 

In  one  place  only  the  horrid  carnage  was  not 
executed.  Jean  Hennuyer,  Bishop  of  Lisieux,  op- 
posed all  the  force  of  his  authority  and  his  character 
to  the  royal  lieutenant  who  communicated  to  him  his 
barbarous  mission;  and  the  Huguenots  of  Lisieux 
were  saved.  And  Maimbourg,  in  his  History  of 
Galvanism,  states  that  in  this  place  alone  were  the 
Huguenots  persuaded  to  abandon  their  faith.* 

Eeason,  science,  experience,  history,  all  support 
the  authority  of  the  principle  of  liberty  of  conscience 
and  religious  toleration.  Let  not  the  words  appear 
idle  which  I  have  spent  on  these  arguments;  they 
bear  directly  on  the  interests  of  the  defence.  Vattle  | 
says  it  is  a  shame  to  humanity  that  a  truth  of  this 

*  Maimbourg  Hist  du  Calvinism,  liv.  vi.  page  355-358. 
t  Le  droit  des  gens.  liv.  1  $  127. 


REPORT   OF   THE   TRIAL.        127 

nature  needs  to  be  proved.  He  says  this,  however, 
after  having  clearly  demonstrated  it.  For  there  is 
no  principle,  be  it  ever  so  true  and  clear,  which  ought 
not  to  be  amply  demonstrated  when  it  is  destined  to 
exert  a  powerful  influence  on  the  case  in  question. 

Applying  tliis  principle  with  that  system  of 
elimination  which  ought  to  lead  us  to  circumscribe, 
in  its  true  terms,  the  idea  of  the  crime  of  proselytism, 
it  is  quite  clear  that  there  cannot  now  be  question  of 
apostacy  nor  of  heresy  in  the  civil  tribunals.  Our 
laws,  indeed,  which,  particularly  after  the  reform  of 
1786,  were  inspired  by  the  principle  of  toleration  of 
the  celebrated  treaty  of  Westphalia,  do  not  make 
mention  of  these  crimes.  Roman,  or  anterior  legis- 
lation relative  to  these,  have  certainly  no  weight 
with  us  now.  The  Grand  Duke  Pietro  Leopoldo, 
who  decreed  punishment  ^ov 2nihlic  iinpiety^  excludes, 
by  omitting  from  the  list  of  crimes,  heresy  and  apos- 
tacy, which,  as  they  only  offend  against  God,  ought 
to  be  judged  and  repressed  by  God,  and  not  by 
man. 

Apostacy  and  heresy  are  not  then  among  our  list 
of  crimes.  The  principle  of  liberty  of  conscience  and 
religious  toleration  assures  us  the  power  of  modify- 
ing or  changing  our  belief.  The  laws  do  not  oppose 
themselves  to  the  free  exercise  of  this  faculty. 

All  this  proceeds  upon  the  foundation,  that  human 
justice  ought  not  to  make  itself  the  vindicator  of  out- 
raged divinity,  nor  arrogate  to  itself  the  rash  office  of 


128  STORY      OP      THE      MADIAI. 

searching  into  the  secret  relations  between  man  and 
God.  While  man  neglects  the  duties  which  he  has 
as  a  man,  towards  God,  society  cannot  interfere.  In- 
stead of  being  an  act  of  justice  and  faith,  it  w^ould 
rather  be  one  of  pride  and  unbelief:  it  would  be  ap- 
pearing to  consider  one's  own  strength  greater  than 
the  Divine  power. 

•  But  every  man  has  also  his  duties  as  a  citizen ; 
and  the  same  principle  of  liberty  of  conscience  and 
religious  toleration  which  is  his  right,  forces  also  an 
obligation  upon  him — that  of  respecting  in  others  the 
exercise  of  the  same  right.  Therefore,  every  time 
that  he  neglects  this  obligation,  which  is  altogether 
civil,  he  commits  a  crime  against  society,  and  it  is 
then  that  human  justice  can  place  him  under  the 
penal  laws. 

This,  then,  is  what  determines  the  action  of  these 
laws:  Social  evil  a  consequence  of  civil  guilt. 

This  distinction  did  not  escape  Pagan  policy,  and 
much  less  that  of  the  Christians. 

The  Republic  of  Rome  repressed  the  Bacchantes 
and  the  Druids,  but  for  political  and  not  religious 
reasons.  The  Bacchantes  put  in  danger  the  security 
of  the  people  and  government,  and  corrupted  moral- 
ity. The  dispersion  of  the  Druids  was  necessary  to 
secure  to  Rome  the  dominion  of  Wales  and  Britain. 
Cicero,  Valentinian,  Adrian,  &c.  all  agree  that  none 
should  be  condemned  for  profession  of  Christianity, 
bui  should  only  be  interfered  with  when  their  machi- 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  129 

I  nations  harmed  the  empire,  or  when  they  were  guilty 

1  of  civil  crime. 

i         Such  likewise  is  the  doctrine  of  our  most  cele- 

;  brated  authorities;  Ci'emani,  Nani,  Poggi,  &c.  de- 

I  clare  that  man  cannot  punish  those  evils  which  offend 

I  God,  unless  they  are  prejudicial  to  public  order  or 

I  the  tranquillity  of  the  State. 

I        Let  us  now  examme  the  crime  of  proselytism. 

I  As  crimes  are  imputed  politically,  not  on  account 
of  their  natural  pravity,  but  for  the  harm  they  ren- 
der to  civil  society,  it  follows  that  the  crimes  of  reli- 
gion cannot  be  imputed,  except  as  contrary  to  social 

;  order ;  and  therefore  should  be  distinguished  by  the 
extremes  of  acts  politically  prejudicial. 

1.  External  action; 

2.  Direct  intention  to  overthrow  or  suppress 
religion ; 

3.  Publicity  or  public  scandal. 
Here  it  would  be  superfluous  to  bring  forward 

jdoctrines,  for  our  laws  could  not  be  more  clear  and 
precise. 

The  60th  Article  of  the  Reform  of  30th  Novem- 
ber, 1786,  contains  evidently  all  the  theory  that  we 
biave  premised :  "  Whosoever  with  impious  designs 
iares  to  profane  the  divine  mysteries,  disturbing  the 
sacred  functions  with  violence^  or  otherwise  commits 
')tLblic  impiety ;  and  \vh.oe\er  publicly  teaches  maxims 
iontrary  to  our  holy  Catholic  religion,  towards  which 
we  have  always  nourished,  and  will  always  maintain 


180  PTORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

constant  our  love  and  zeal,  we  wish,  that  as  a  distur- 
ber of  the  order  upon  which  society  is  maintained  in 
tranquility,  and  as  an  enemy  to  society  itself,  he  shall 
be  punished  with  the  greatest  and  most  exemplary 
rigor,  nor  ever  with  less  penalty  than  the  public 
forced  labor,  for  a  time  or  for  life,  according  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  case." 

The  law  thus  requires  that  the  action  be  per- 
formed with  guilty  intention,  and  accompanied  by 
puhlicity.  Only  then  can  it  punish,  as  only  then  it 
recognizes  in  it  a  civil  crime. 

%  *  %  *  % 

Thus  impiety  could  not  be  imputed  to  him  who 
reasons  of  his  heterodox  belief,  with  others  profess- 
ing the  same  creed ;  nor  to  him  who,  from  zeal  for 
his  own  convictions,  is  discovered  maintaining  them 
by  conversing  and  discussing  privately*  with  indi- 
viduals to  whom  he  is  related  by  parentage  or  friend- 
ship ;  nor,  still  less,  to  him  w^ho,  questioned  concern- 
ing his  belief  on  this  or  that  subject  of  religion, 
replies  according  to  his  own  convictions,  though 
these  be  contrary  to  the  Catholic  faith,  if  this  be  the 
religion  of  the  State. 

Here  one  must  reflect :  how  could  our  laws, 
which  do  rrot  recognise  a  crime  in  apostacy  or  heresy, 
proceed  so  severely  against  the  apostates  or  heretics 
as  not  to  tolerate,  that  in  any  circumstances,  or  with 
any  persons,  they  should  manifest  their  belief? 

It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  consider  the  case  in 


REIORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  131 

which  the  dissenter  makes  a  profession  of  his  prin 
ciples  with  his  co-religionists.  In  those  countries 
where  a  religion  of  the  State  is  recognized,  the  law 
may  hinder  dissenters  from  the  public  profession  of 
their  faith.  That  is  to  say,  they  cannot,  without  per- 
mission from  the  authorities,  erect  temples,  publicly 
invite  the  faithful  to  their  offices,  or  assume  any  pub- 
lic organization  whatever.  But  if  the  law  consent  to 
liberty  of  conscience,  how  can  it  forbid  them  to  ex- 
ercise privately  the  worship  of  the  religion  to  which 
they  belong  1  One  must  suppose  in  the  law  an  in- 
consistency or  breach  of  fliith,  which  is  contrary  to 
all  rule. 

Besides  this,  when  the  law  forbids  the  inculcation 
of  heterodox  maxims,  it  excludes  the  case  of  teaching 
among  persons  belonging  to  the  same  communion, 
since  this  would  not  be  teaching,  but  worship.  This, 
then,  is  a  case  where  there  could  be  no  question  of 
impiety  or  proselytism. 

Let  us  imagine  another  case.  Suppose  that  a 
Calvinist  is  reproved  by  some  one  for  not  venerating 
the  saints,  not  fulfilling  the  pascal  injunction,*  or 
that  of  fasting,  not  attending  at  the  holy  services ; 
and  if  this  reproof,  made  with  acrimony  and  inso- 
lence, provoke  the  Calvinist,  or  at  least  place  him 
under  the  necessity  of  expressing  his  convictions;  the 
law,  which  does  not  blame  him  for  belonging  to  that 

*  That  is  to  say,  at  Easter,  eveiy  individual  Catholic 
Calvinist  is  commanded  to  take  the  Eucharist  translation. 


132  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

confession,  can  it  in  this  case  punish  him  because  he 
has  diffused  impious  doctrines,  contrary  to  Catholi- 
cism '?    It  would  be  absurd. 

Society,  you  will  agree  with  me,  tolerates  all  re- 
ligions, if  they  are  not  opposed  to  its  life  and  pro- 
gress ;  but  in  exchange  for  its  toleration,  it  requires 
that  every  one  have  a  religion,  which  he  must  sin- 
cerely profess  and  cultivate.  Hypocrites  are  not  less 
prejudicial  to  society  than  are  atheists;  and  religious 
indifference  keeps  j)ace  with  hypocrisy  and  atheism. 
Society  cannot  therefore  permit  that  submission  to 
the  dominant  religion  should  push  the  heterodox  per- 
son so  far  as  to  make  him  dissimulate  his  own  reli- 
gion or  transgress  the  precepts  which  it  enjoins. 

And  if  the  hetorodox  person,  to  whom,  by  chance, 
an  explanation  is  required  of  some  Biblical  passage, 
or  some  point  of  doctrine  or  moral,  reply  contrary 
to  his  convictions  and  his  belief,  w^ould  he  not  be 
guilty  to  society  of  that  hypocrisy  and  that  religious 
indifference  which  is  so  prejudicial  to  it  ? 

All  this  seems  to  me  strictly  logical  and  natural. 
Proselytism  can  neither  be  imputed  to  him  who 
communicates  with  his  co-religionists,  to  him  who 
maintains  his  religion  against  attack  and  outrage, 
nor  to  him  who,  being  consulted,  replies  according  to 
the  religious  doctrine  to  which  he  has  devoted  him- 
self. 

But  this  is  not  all.  The  principle  of  liberty  of 
conscience  and  religious  toleration,  joined  to  the  po- 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  133 

litical  necessity  that  every  one  have  a  religion  which 
he  must  tenaciously  and  sincerely  observe,  leads  to 
other  consequences. 

One  cannot  exact  impossibilities  ;  and  as  there  is 
an  impossible  in  physical  order,  so  is  there  in  moral 
order.  "  The  law,"  says  Nani,  "  cannot  require  from 
a  man  that  which  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  observe, 
from  the  irresistible  impulse  which  he  has  by  nature." 
And  nature  has  given  man  a  necessity  to  expand  and 
communicate  with  others. 

Now  religion  is  the  life  of  the  soul,  the  treasure 
of  all  hope,  and  the  supreme  law  of  man ;  all  created 
things  are  subordinate  to  this ;  it  watches  over  the 
conscience  and  affections ;  rewards  and  punishes, 
grieves  and  consoles.  Who  can  then  pretend  that 
the  father  or  friend  does  not  desire  to  share  with  his 
beloved  ones,  the  benefits  of  that  faith  from  which 
alone  he  hopes  for  salvation  1  Could  the  father,  whom 
nature  prompts  to  educate  and  assist  his  children, 
without  failing  in  the  most  sacred  obligations,  direct 
them  to  a  way  which,  in  his  convictions,  can  only 
lead  to  error?  How  could  he  inculcate  in  his  child- 
ren an  idea  of  God,  which  does  not  correspond  with 
that  God  from  whom  he  hopes  and  fears  everything? 
And  is  it  not  the  same  if  we  speak  of  friend  or  con- 
fidant 1  Since  friendship  unites  two  hearts  into  one, 
and  institutes  relationships  which  nature  has  not 
formed,  but  which  she  watches  and  seals,  and,  I 
would  almost  say,  renders  more  sacred  and  inviola- 
12 


134  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

ble,  because  they  depend   solely  on  man's  choice. 

The  judicial  idea  of  the  crime  of  proselytism  can- 
not then  be  enlarged ;  it  must  rather  be  restricted  to 
the  narrowest  limits,  if  we  would  not  deny  that 
which  is  essential  to  humanity,  and  to  the  interests 
of  civil  society. 

To  require  that  the  citizen  should  not  join  in  the 
worship  of  his  religion  with  his  co-religionists ;  that 
he  should  suffer  in  peace,  the  outrage  of  his  religious 
convictions,  without  seeking  to  defend  them ;  that  he 
should  reply  against  his  conscience  by  dissimulating 
his  views,  or  pretending  opposite  convictions  in  pre- 
sence of  those  who  ask  counsel  of  him ;  to  require, 
finally,  that  he  should  not  love  to  inculcate  these  in 
the  minds  of  persons  dear  to  him,  would  be  to  desire 
things  at  once  prejudicial  and  impossible.  You  would 
suppose  the  law  to  be  inconsistent  or  unfaithful ;  you 
would  condemn  society  to  tolerate  hypocrisy  and  in- 
difference, evils  which  are  at  the  head  of  practical 
atheism ;  because  the  man,  degraded  and  humiliated 
to  the  necessity  of  imposing  silence  on  his  own  con- 
science, and  externally  following  a  faith  which  he 
does  not  feel  in  heart,  becomes  the  most  formidable 
and  cunning  enemy  to  every  religious  belief.  You 
would  pretend  to  the  impossible,  because  you  would 
seek  to  give  the  sanction  of  human  justice  greater 
force  than  that  of  Divine  justice. 

In  none  of  these  cases,  in  which  there  is  an  exter- 
nal profession  of  heterodox  maxims,  can  the  accusa- 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  135 

tion  of  prosclytism  be  propounded,  since  that  profes- 
sion is  not  animated  by  impious  designs,  nor  the 
direct  intention  of  overturning  the  dominant  reli- 
gion ;  an  impious  design  or  intention,  guilty  intention 
in  fact,  which  science,  law  and  jurisprudence,  proclaim 
a  necessary  extreme  of  crime. 

But  the  guilty  intention  does  not  suffice,  there 
must  also  be  the  evil  done.  Here  is  another  extreme 
necessary,  in  order  that  the  judicial  idea  of  the  crime 
may  be  applied  to  the  fact.  Affectus  sine  effectu  ne 
impute  tur. 

And  in  order  that  the  evil  may  be  verified,  it  is 
necessary  that  the  means  employed  by  the  delin- 
quent to  accomplish  the  proposed  miquity  be  pro- 
portioned to  the  end. 

I  will  not  stay  to  repeat  the  elementary  theories 

of  criminal  right.    It  is  a  common  maxim  of  this 

science,  that  as  from  inopportune  and  feeble  acts, 

society  need  fear  nothing,  so  the  law  may,  without 

danger,  leave  these  unpunished. 

***** 

In  the  crime  of  proselytism,  the  evil  naturally 
ought  to  consist  in  that  civil  offence  from  which  soci- 
ety suffers  when  its  religion  is  subverted ;  in  the 
disturbance  of  2mblic  order.  And,  in  fact,  our  wise 
legislator  ordains  that  the  impious  man  be  repressed 
only  as  a  disturber  of  public  order,  on  which  society 
rests,  and  its  tranquility  depends.  *  *  *  Well, 
then,  in  order  that  public  order  be  disturbed,  in  order 


136  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

that  public  scandal  be  produced,  what  is  necessary  1 
That  the  preaching  or  instruction  be  public  also. 
Without  this,  there  is  no  possibility  of  crime. 

Publicity  of  teaching  as  the  means  of  evil,  dis- 
turbance and  public  scandal  as  an  effect  of  the  crime, 
these  are  the  other  two  extremes  of  prosely tism. 

"If  the  violation  of  religion,"  says  Giuliani,*  "is 
committed  in  secret,  and  leaves  no  permanent  trace 
behind  it,  even  though  it  come  by  chance  to  the 
knowledge  of  one  or  two  citizens,  pnhlicity  being 
wanting^  the  political  evil  would  vanish  also.  To 
make  it  public  (note  well  these  words)  by  a  trial 
would  cause  more  evil  than  advantage.  Besides,  to 
penetrate  the  domestic  walls  to  bring  to  light  such 
actions,  would  give  a  shock  to  public  tranquility, 
would  absurdly  substitute  the  political  magistracy 
for  the  pious  functions  of  the  pastors  of  souls,  and 
would  open  the  way  for  vexation  and  calumny." 

Publicity  has  always  been  considered  an  extreme 
of  the  crime  of  religion.  I  say  always,  excepting 
perhaps  those  times  in  which  humanity  was  scourg- 
ed by  the  impious  zeal  of  the  fanatics,  and  impious 
party  anger.  The  crime  of  proselytism  in  particu- 
lar, cannot  be  conceived  without  this  postulate.  Let 
the  principle  be  established,  that  only  those  actions 
can  be  civilly  criminal  which  are  oflences  against  the 
order  of  the  city,  and  the  consequence  naturally  fol- 

*Istit.  di  dir.  Crim.  lib.  iv.  part.  1,  trat.  2,  $  1. 


REPORT   OF   THE   TRIAL.       137 

lows  that  that  only  can  be  a  crime  in  religion  which 
is  committed  in  a  public  place  and  in  presence  of  the 
congregated  public.  ***** 

To  go  back  to  the  Valentinian  and  Justinian  codes, 
we  find  that  they  consider  publicity  to  exist  only 
when  religious  subjects  afe  treated  of  to  a  crowd  as- 
sembled and  listening.  The  commentators,  and  the 
well-known  ^vriters  of  the  law,  Nani,  Cremani,  &c. 
all  prove  that  impiety  to  be  considered  as  a  civil 
crime,  must  be  committed  in  public.  The  absurdity 
of  considering  an  act  public  when  performed  in  the 
presence  of  three  persons,  is  so  preposterous  as  not 
to  need  long  arguments  to  refute  it. 

Let  then  those  maxims  be  no  more  invoked, 
which  some  magistrates  sought  to  establish  in  the 
beginning  of  this  century.  They  were  an  offence 
against  the  law,  which  you  should  now  repair.  The 
law  was  in  those  days  violated,  and  much  more 
would  it  be  so  at  the  present  time,  when  the  princi- 
ples of  liberty  are  receiving  increasing  development. 

Liberty  of  conscience,  toleration  of  all  religions, 
are  two  cardinal  doctrines  of  our  public  right.  The 
penal  law  cannot  meddle  with  certain  questions 
without  causing  a  wound  in  society  greater  than  that 
which  it  would  prevent  or  heal.  If  the  crime  of  re- 
ligion becomes  a  civil  disturbance  of  public  order, 
human  justice  may  interfere  with  this  disturbance. 
If  not,  Deorum  injurioe  diis  curce* 

*  Tacit.  Ann.  i.  73 
12* 


138  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

Our  laws  are,  thank  God,  formed  on  these  three 
principles: — guilty  intention,  publicity,  and  evil. 
These  are  the  extremes  of  prosely tism  : 

Guilty  intention,  that  is  the  direct  intention  to 
overthrow  the  religion  of  the  state. 

Publicity  of  the  action,  because  without  that  there 
call  arise  no  harm  nor  crime. 

Evil  done,  an  indispensable  element  of  every 
crime. 

Let  us  apply  these  theories  to  fact. 

In  the  course  of  my  arguments  I  ought  now  to 
examine  if  in  the  facts  imputed  to  the  Madiai  there 
exists  the  first  extreme  of  the  crime  of  proselytism, 
guilty  intention. 

I  could,  indeed,  omit  this  inquiry.  Why  go 
back  to  the  nature  of  the  crime,  where  there  is  not 
material  for  it?  Why  should  I  seek  to  discover 
who  killed  Clodius,  if  it  is  proved  that  Clodius  is  not 
dead  ?*  Why  the  delinquent,  if  there  is  no  crime  1 
The  defence  might  be  concluded  without  this  second 
inspection.  Nevertheless,  because  the  accusation 
has  not  withheld  imputations,  and  because  it  is 
never  superfluous  that  the  defence  consider  even  the 
least  supported  hypotheses,  and  finally  because  it  is 
necessary  that  the  order  observed  in  the  questions 
of  right  should  be  maintained  in  the  examination  of 
facts,  I  will  begin  by  the  inquiry :  If  the  accused 

*  Cicero  pro  Milo. 


REPORT     OF     THE     TRIAL.  139 

ever  proposed  to  make  proselytes  to  their  faith  by 
means  of  overthrowing  the  religion  of  the  state. 

You  see  them,  gentlemen:  There  are  those 
apostles  of  heresy  on  whom  the  accusation,  after 
having  found  words  to  denounce  them  to  you  as 
destructive  of  society,  propagators  of  false  doctrines, 
subverters  of  consciences,  has  also  invoked  upon 
them  the  severity  of  your  judgment.  You  see  them, 
you  have  heard  them,  and  you  can  imagine  how 
dangerous  they  must  have  been  to  the  state. 

He  descended,  when  a  youth,  from  the  hill  of 
Casentino,  where  he  left  his  flither  and  brothers  at 
the  plough,  was  domestic  servant  for  many  years  to 
our  patricians.  Later,  he  travelled  as  courier  with 
foreign  families.  He  thus  visited  many  parts  of 
Europe  and  even  America,  and  only  from  time  to 
time  remained  a  few  hours  amongst  us. 

Her  destiny  has  not  been  different.  From  Rome, 
where  she  was  born,  she  went  as  ladies'  maid  to 
wealthy  families  in  England,  Belgium,  and  Germany. 
She  lived  more  than  twenty  years  in  London.  Re- 
turning to  Italy,  she  met  Madiai  at  Florence,  having 
kno\^'n  him  already  on  the  other  side  the  Alps.  They 
became  man  and  wife.  Her  feeble  health  did  not 
permit  her  again  to  attempt  a  wandering  and  trou- 
bled life.  Joining  her  scanty  savings  with  those  of 
her  husband,  they  furnished  a  house,  and  let  it  to 
foreigners,  and  particularly  to  the  English,  who  from 
the  wealthy  and  free  coasts  of  their  island,  mistress 


140  STORY     OF     THE    MADIAI. 

of  the  seas,  desired  our  balmy  air  and  sunny  sky, 
and  who  liked  the  ample  resources  which,  at  one 
time,  made  our  civil  life  so  happy. 

Thus,  neither  extraordinary  nor  common  culture, 
neither  natural  greatness  of  mind  nor  strength  of 
soul,  neither  abundance  of  words  nor  the  subtleties 
of  metaphysics,  neither  social  grade  nor  conspicuous 
position,  invited  them  to  enterprises  so  vast  and 
perilous.  Their  only  care  was,  by  their  industry  to 
gain  the  means  of  subsistence.  The  wife  provided 
for  the  interests  of  their  house  in  Florence  ;  the  hus- 
band, who  enjoyed  good  health,  continued  his  wan- 
dering and  precarious  life,  the  greater  part  of  the 
year  in  distant  countries,  he  spent  the  least  part 
by  his  own  fireside. 

Could  these  persons  cherish  in  their  minds  the 
idea  of  overturning  society  ?  of  snatching  it  from  its 
belief,  of  throwing  down  the  throne  of  Peter  to 
place  in  its  stead  that  of  Calvin,  of  destroying  the 
work  of  so  many  centuries,  of  changing  the  faith  of 
our  fathers  1  Do  you  believe  that  the  Madiai  medi- 
tated these  things  1 

But  they  have  abandoned  the  religion  in  which 
they  were  baptized ;  they  have  confessed  to  belong 
to  the  Evangelical  communion.  Thus  cries  the  ac- 
cusation, as  if  one  must  from  this  necessarily  infer 
the  charge  of  proselytism.  That  the  Madiai  should 
have  professed  the  Evangelical  religion,  though  born 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Romish  Church,  cannot  cause 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  141 

wonder,  and  you  would  not  deduce  from  that,  that 
they  arc  guilty  of  prosely tism. 

It  is  no  wonder,  I  say,  to  any  one  who  considers 
their  long  residence  in  the  centre  of  the  Protestant 
communion.  And  not  only  have  they  lived  in  the 
cities  of  America,  England,  or  Prussia.  There  they 
had  not  their  owti  house  nor  their  own  family ;  no 
parents,  brothers,  or  friends,  with  whom  to  stir 
themselves  up  to  the  observances  of  their  own  fiith. 
They  lived  in  the  bosom  of  protestant  families  ;  they 
shared  their  joys  and  sorrows ;  they  brought  up,  as 
was  their  duty,  tender  children  to  the  English  faith ; 
they  must  often  have  heard  the  catechism  of  that 
confession ;  the  exercise  of  that  fliith  must  always 
have  been  before  their  eyes,  great  were  the  flxcilities 
for  cultivating  that  religion,  less  great  than  for  re- 
specting the  precepts  of  their  native  faith.  Less 
great,  I  say,  not  because  the  nations  were  guilty  of 
intolerance,  but  because  the  rigorous  exercise  of 
their  worship  was  incompatible  with  the  duties  they 
owed  to  their  masters.  Besides,  attractions  were 
not  wanting  which  by  degrees  took  hold  on  their 
minds.  The  followers  of  the  Reform  and  their  reli- 
gion are  not  of  depraved  morality.  These  persons 
may  serve  as  an  example,  whose  virtues  the  sus- 
tainer  of  the  accusation  himself  appreciated,  so  that 
in  recording  them,  loyal  and  generous  as  he  is,  he 
was  moved  almost  to  tears,  deploring  more  bitterly, 
that  they  should  be  disjoined  from  our  Church.   The 


142  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

Evangelicals  are  Christians  and  rigid  observers  of 
Christian  morality  ;  and  although  they  do  not  recog- 
nise the  authority  of  Rome,  and  disagree  with  some 
points  of  doctrine,  they  profess  all  those  principles 
which  best  satisfy  the  human  heart,  and  best  content 
the  mind.  Besides  this,  the  quality  of  the  persons 
whom  the  accused  served,  most  conspicuous  from 
lineage  or  education,  must  have  caused  their  influ- 
ence over  their  subordinates  to  have  been  great, 
and  in  these  to  have  commanded  obedience. 

No  wonder  then,  that  they  turned  to  another 
faith.  If  even  all  these  arguments  were  vain  and 
insufficient,  who  would  arrogate  to  himself  the  foolish 
and  rash  pretence  of  searching  into  the  secrets  of 
their  conscience  1  De  internis  judicat  Dens  ! 

But  none  can  infer  or  conclude  from  this,  that 
they  designed  to  proselytise  by  overthrowing  the 
dominant  religion  to  which  they  paid  always  that 
civil  obedience  which  the  law  requires.  You  heard, 
indeed,  that  while  both  the  accused  cultivated  in 
secret  the  Evangelical  faith,  from  the  time  that  they 
were  far  from  us,  they  abstained  from  making  a  for- 
mal profession  of  it  until  the  force  of  the  civilta,  and 
the  honest  counsels  of  the  crown  introduced  also  in 
Tuscany  a  statute  of  civil  franchise.  Then  they  pro- 
fessed it,  because  all  existing  forms  of  worship  were 
not  only  tolerated,  but  permitted  amongst  us,*  at 

*  Constitutional  statute  of  15th  Feb.  1848.    Art.  1. 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  143 

which  time  the  principle  of  civil  liberty  of  conscience, 
which  was  already  in  the  spirit  of  our  laws,  was 
also  translated  and  consecrated  in  the  letter.  This 
certainly  is  a  proof  of  their  submission  to  the  civil 
law.  They  understood  that  no  one  could  oblige 
them  to  believe  in  a  certain  way,  but  that  the  law 
could  hinder  them  from  openly  separating  from  that 
communion  to  which  the  whole  city  belongs. 

Many  other  proofs  there  are  which  exclude  the 
charge  made  agamst  them  ;  and  you  have  heard  the 
statements  of  many  witnesses,  who  declare  that  the 
Madiai  uniformly  respected  their  convictions,  nor 
ever  spoke  to  them  abusively  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Romish  Church.*  *  *  *  * 

I  must  now  examine  the  means  which  the  Ma- 
diai are  said  to  have  employed  to  effect  the  not  small 
undertaking  of  proselytism. 

These  may  be  reduced  to  three  categories : — 

1.  Teaching  the  doctrines  of  the  Evangelical  reli- 
gion to  several  individuals  separately. 

2.  Diffusion  of  heterodox  books. 

3.  Re-union  or  congregation  of  persons  in  the 

*  The  advocate  here  entered  on  a  long  argument  in  favor 
of  Rosa  Madiai,  on  the  plea  that  on  various  occasions,  as  de- 
clared by  witnesses,  she  had  acted  as  though  she  were  still  a 
Roman  Catholic ;  the  facts  deposed  having  occun-ed  previ- 
ous to  her  conversion.  The  design  of  the  advocate  in  bring- 
ing forward  these  acts  of  apparent  conformity,  was  to  prove 
that  she  had  never  openly  insulted  the  .Catholic  religion,  nor 
Bought  to  make  proselytes  by  force. 


144  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

house  of  the  accused,  to  exercise  themselves  in  the 
reading  of  these  books. 

Let  us  consider  the  depositions  of  the  witnesses 
for  the  prosecution. 

I  loudly  declare  that  my  soul  revolts  from  de- 
scending to  their  infamous  ranks.  They  expect  per- 
haps to  acquire  indulgences  by  raising  the  funeral 
pile,  and  lighting  the  fire,  to  scatter  to  the  winds 
the  ashes  of  the  victims  of  fanaticism !  God  him- 
self has  willed  that  time  past  should  not  return ;  and 
there  are  things  which  could  only,  perhaps,  be  re-pro- 
duced, if  former  times  were  to  return.  I  must  how- 
ever name  these  witnesses  to  you,  as  was  my  duty, 
and  a  painful  one,  to  hear  them.  I  am  also  sure  that 
they  are  not  men  long  versed  in  the  basest  acts  of 
an  ignorant  and  corrupt  populace.  We  should  all 
think  that  human  nature  would  not  be  calumniated 
by  having  attributed  to  it  the  excesses  and  defects 
of  those  who  are  cast  forth  on  the  streets  from  their 
childhood,  to  grow  up  in  idleness  or  beggary,  father 
of  all  vices.  No !  I  must  name  four  women,  and  a 
youth,  not  yet  twenty.  I  will  not  enter  into  the 
specialities  of  their  depositions.  It  is  enough  to 
touch  upon  them,  for  they  must  appear  undeserving 
of  attention. 

First,  note  how  the  greater  part  of  these  wit- 
nesses constitute,  so  to  speak,  but  one  body  and 
one  mind. 

Enrico  Materassi  has  heard  say  from  Marsini, 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  145 

that  before  dinner  the  ^ladhiis  repeated  a  prayer, 
after  their  own  mode  of  thinking.  lie  has  heard 
sat/,  from  the  same  Marsini,  that  llosa  ]Madiai,  seek- 
ing to  convert  her,  took  away  her  scapulary,  and 
broke  and  trod  on  tlie  beads  of  her  rosary.  He  has 
besides  heard  say  from  Zaceaguini,  who  learnt  it 
from  Marsini,  that  on  all  fete  days,  at  certain  hours, 
some  persons  assembled  in  the  house  of  the  ^ladiai 
to  receive  instruction  in  Protestantism.  He  has  fi- 
nally heard  say  from  Zaceaguini,  that  the  Madiai  as- 
sembled people  in  their  house  to  read  the  Bible. 
This  is  not  all,  he  has  also  heard  saij^  but  this  time 
he  does  not  recollect  fix)m  whom,  that  they  had 
books  which  they  kept  hid  under  the  bed,  between 
the  mattresses,  and  in  the  cellar. 

Luisa  Bucciolini  has  heard  say  from  Zaceaguini, 
that  Rosa  ]\Iadiai  had  given  her  a  book.  She  has 
heard  say,  from  the  same  Zaceaguini,  who  had  it  as 
usual  from  Marsini,  that  the  Madiai  had  in  their 
house  re-unions  of  Protestants,  and  what  not.  She 
has  finally  heard  say,  and  this  time  also  from  Zacea- 
guini, that  Madame  ^fadiai  related  that  Teresa  Pet- 
ruggi  had  been  called  to  the  tribunal,  that  they 
made  her  swear  upon  Christ,  and  that  that  stupid 
creature  believed  it. 

Docs  it  not  appear  to  you  to  be  present  at  a 
phantasmagoria,  and  to  see  going  round  and  round, 
alternately  changing  names  and  faces,  Marsini  and 
Zaceaguini,  and  Zaceaguini  and   Marsini  ?    Would 

13 


146  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

you  not  say  that  these  two  women  are  souls  which 
enter  into  all  bodies  1  And  I  will  also  tell  you  that 
I  was  deceived.  I  had  thought  them  rather  igno- 
rant and  unlearned,  but  it  appears  impossible  that 
they  should  need  to  be  two  servants !  You  heard 
with  what  copious  language  and  knowledge  they  re- 
cited their  parts.  Nor  is  Faustina  Vecchioni  less 
instructed.  I  think  she  might  even  be  called  "  teacher 
of  those  who  know." 

Let  us  now  speak  of  this  pretended  instruction. 
Who  are  the  disciples  of  those  fital  teachers  of 
heresy?  The  accusation  has  sought  them  from 
among  the  known  and  unknown.  These  seven  who 
here  gave  proof  of  such  animosity  and  hatred  to  tho 
Madiai,  were  not  sufficient.  It  has  made  to  pass 
across  its  disc  a  confused  multitude,  agitating  in  se- 
cret, and  insinuating  the  fearful  idea  of  a  subterrane- 
an society. 

The  most  odious  of  these  pretended  disciples, 
who  have  here  been  interrogated,  is  a  woman  : — 
Faustina  Vecchioni.  You  must  have  remarked  with 
what  fury,  worse  than  hostility,  she  has  launched 
forth  against  the  accused.  According  to  her,  there 
is  no  occasion  in  which  they  have  not,  in  sj)eaking, 
committed  a  crime ;  they  have  not  exchanged  a  sin- 
gle word  with  her  which  did  not  horrify  her.  It 
seemed  that  she  could  not  even  wait  for  the  interro- 
gation of  the  judge,  so  great  was  the  fury  which 
prompted  her  to  aggravate  the  melancholy  condition 


REPORT  OF  THE  TRIAL.       147 

of  those  unhappy  people.  Not  only  with  words  but 
with  gestures  and  glances,  she  sought  to  instil  in 
your  mind  her  own  fierce  passions  ;  and  even  when 
removed  from  your,  sight  she  had  gone  to  sit  with 
the  witnesses  already  interrogated,  she  did  not 
cease  her  insults,  more  brutal  than  ever, — now 
mocking  the  defence  of  the  accused,  now  praising 
the  accusation. 

What  more  ?  So  great  was  her  animosity  that 
she  even  wished  to  bring  forward  facts  exstraneous 
to  the  cause.  She  could  not  say  that  the  accused 
had  diffused  hetorodox  books.  It  seems  that  this 
ignorance  caused  her  great  sorrow.  Therefore  she 
went  searching  and  re-searching  her  memory,  and 
thought  it  a  happy  chance  that  the  thought  flashed 
across  her  which  enabled  her  on  this  point  also  to 
bring  her  pious  contribution  to  the  accusation.  She 
related  that  a  certain  Bargigli,  living  about  a  mile 
out  of  the  Porta  Romana,  an  inn-keeper,  showed  her 
in  the  early  months  of  1851,  a  book  which  had  been 
left  in  his  shop,  by  some  person  unknown.  Having 
discovered  that  this  book  contained,  as  she  said,  a 
confusion  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  (she  is  well 
versed  in  divinity!  )  she  counselled  Bargigli  to  re- 
store it  to  whom  it  belonged,  as  she  thought  it  must 
be  prohibited.  One  of  the  reasons  for  considering 
it  such,  as  she  has  declared  at  this  trial,  was  that 
once,  many  years  ago,  she  found  in  a  cupboard  of 
Casa  Pandolfiini,  a  heterod  -)x  book ! ! ! 


148  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

Tills  grossly  ignorant  witness  only  merits  your 
contempt.  The  language  of  truth  is  never  passion- 
ate and  hostile,  but  cold  and  impartial.  Who  can- 
not keep  within  bounds  in  saying,  cannot  in  imagin- 
ing. What  a  difference  between  this  witness  and 
the  accused !  And  I  do  not  speak  of  him  to  whom 
nature  has  administered  more  strength  of  mind,  and 
less  sensitive  feeling  ;  but  of  Rosa  Madiai,  whose  no- 
ble bearing  may  serve  as  an  example  as  singular  as 
rare,  frf)m  that  place  of  trial,  which  if  it  cause 
anguish  to  all,  does  not  cause  humiliation  or  shame. 

Not  only  is  the  testimony  of  Vecchioni  unworthy 
on  account  of  its  animosity,  but  also  for  the  incon- 
sistency of  the  deposition,  and  even  for  its  falsity. 
It  is  not  my  intention  here  to  discuss  the  religious 
doctrines  of  the  Evangelical  communion.  I  protest 
that  as  I  would  have  desired  that  this  trial  should 
not  take  place,  1  will  be  cautious  lest  my  words 
should  increase  the  risk  and  scandal.  But  how  can 
I  refrain  from  pointing  out  flicts  1 

And  it  is  a  flict,  as  Rosa  Madiai  affirmed,  that 
the  commandments  of  God  are  as  binding  on  Evan- 
gelicals as  on  Catholics.  The  Evangelicals  also  ac- 
cept the  Bible,  and  all  the  Bible.  The  difference  lies 
in  the  interpretation,  and  in  the  value  set  on  the 
Pentateuch.  Now,  Vecchioni  said  that  the  Madiai, 
in  reading  the  Decalogue,  restricted  the  command- 
ments to  eight  only.  Is  this  true  ?  Can  it  not  at 
once  be  recosnised  as  llilse'? 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  149 

She  related  in  the  second  place,  that  Rosa  Ma- 
diai  denied  the  existence  not  only  of  Purgatory,  but 
of  Paradise  and  Hell.  Do  the  Evangelicals  then, 
not  believe  in  Paradise  and  HelH  I  have  only  to 
refer  you  to  those  very  books  used  by  the  accusa- 
tion to  prove  the  heresy  of  their  doctrmes,  and  \vhich 
are  in  your  hands.  ' 

In  the  third  place,  Vecchioni  told  you  that  Rosa 
Madiai  maintained  that  Jesus  Christ  did  not  die  on 
the  cross  to  save  our  souls.  But  do  you  uphold  that 
the  Madiai  operated  an  Evangelical  propaganda,  or 
an  Israelite  propaganda  1  If  Evangelical,  how  could 
she  deny  that  doctrine  which  is  the  principal  founda- 
tion of  the  Reform  1  Has  not  INIarsini  stated,  having 
been  taught  by  the  accused,  that  the  ceremony  of 
the  communion  in  both  kinds  is  made  by  the  Evan- 
gelicals in  commemoration  of  the  last  supper  par- 
taken of  by  Clirist  Jesus  before  he  died  for  us;  and 
is  it  not  an  essential  doctrine  of  their  religion  that 
our  souls  cannot  be  saved  by  our  works,  but  through 
the  merits  of  the  Redeemer  ? 

Lastly  she  has  told  you  that  the  Madiai  never 
named  Jesus  Clirist,  but  always  the  Gospel.  Sho 
has  said  it  so  as  to  infer  that  they  did  not  believe  in 
Him;  or  that  they  made  Him  subordinate  to  the 
Gospel.  With  this  understanding,  she  has  repeated 
it  many  times  with  that  action  and  tone  which  leave 
no  doubt  of  the  state  of  her  own  mind.    Do  not  the 


13* 


150  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

Evangelicals  then  believe  in  Christ  1    Do  they  not 
believe  in  the  Apostles'?  This  she  told  you  also. 

Now,  all  that  is  false ;  you  cannot  give  heed  to  it, 
since  those  depositions  are  not  ^Yorthy  of  belief  which 
affirm,  (as  Cremani  teaches,)  things  impossible  in 
their  nature,  or  such  as,  considering  the  condition  of 
the  guilty  person,  and  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
appear  improbable.  And  the  testimony,  erroneous  or 
imtruthful  in  part,  is  presumed  to  be  so  in  the  whole, 
though  relating  to  separate  things."^' 

'V:  Vc  %  vV  ^ 

But  accepting  for  true  all  that  she  has  narrated, 
can  you  infer  from  that  that  Madame  Madiai  had  a 
school  for  heretical  doctrines  ? 

Vecchioni  went  there  to  work  by  the  day.  Place 
this  vroman  by  the  side  of  two  dissenters;  make  them 
casually  meet  in  any  place  whatever — I  declare  to 
you  that  she  would  accuse  them  of  a  propaganda  if 
they  had  only  said  a  few  words.  Since,  if  she  only 
suspected  that  their  belief  was  a  little  less  than  Cath- 
olic, she  would  provoke  them  with  the  spirit  of  a 
Torquemada,  and  would  put  so  much  of  bitterness 
with  the  salt  of  her  knowledge,  that  they  would  be 
obliged  to  reply,  and  if  they  reply  by  a  single  sylla- 
ble here,  they  are  propagandists.  Oh !  it  is  not  a 
rare  thing  to  make  people  say  that  which  they  would 
not  wish  to  say  ! 

*  Eot.  Flor.  dec.  17th  Feb.  1719,  cor.  Beliizzi,  n.  14. 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  151 

The  teaching  of  heterodox  doctrhies,  made  for 
the  cause  of  proselytism,  must  be  distinguished  from 
academical  or  occasional  converse.  Glance  at  the 
deposition  of  Vecchioni.  She  did  nothing  but  sustain 
objective  conversations,  now  with  one,  now  with  the 
other.  Calvin  is  named — one  sends  him  to  hell,  the 
other  raises  him  among  the  first.  They  quote  Dio- 
dati's  Bible,  and  this,  for  one,  is  an  accursed  book, 
for  the  other  a  code  of  religion.  Is  this  teaching?  It 
may  be :  but  who  holds  the  pulpit,  and  who  is  seek- 
ing to  work  a  conversion  1  The  witness  or  the  ac- 
cused? Change  their  places,  and  Vecchioni  would  be 
more  guilty  than  Madiai. 

Tvcflect  well  on  the  disposition  of  this  woman — 
on  the  circumstances  that  I  have  placed  before  you, 
more  particularly  the  one  last  mentioned.  I  do  not 
doubt  that  you  will  reject  the  deposition  of  a  witness, 
invalid  on  account  of  so  many  defects. 

The  second  of  the  seven  disciples  of  the  Madiai 
is  another  servant — Antonia  Zaccaguini.  She  also 
desired  to  forge  a  link  for  the  chain  of  the  accused. 
She  has  also  confessed  having  long  received  generous 
bounties  from  them,  yet  has  herself  ministered  to 
their  sufferings.  She,  observe,  has  been  three  times 
interrogated;  twice  by  the  instructing  judges  of  the 
process,  once  by  you. 

The  first  and  second  time  she  had  not  before  her 
eyes  these  unhappy  beings,  so  that  she  could  forget 
she  had  known  them.    Then,  frankly  and  quickly,  (it 


152  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

must  have  been  so,  as  the  judge  could  not  remind 
her  of  what  she  had  to  depose,)  she  related  a  long 
story,  alleging  herself  the  victim  of  a  constant  perse- 
cution, by  which  the  Madlai  sought  to  draw  her  away 
from  the  holy  Catholic  religion,  to  lead  her  to  tliat 
of  the  Gospel.  Indeed,  the  second  time,  not  content 
with  relating  what  directly  concerned  the  subject 
under  examination,  she  made  idtroneoiis,  (and  there- 
fore invalid,)  statements,  and  began  narrating  how, 
in  ascending  to  the  hall  of  justice,  she  met  a  woman 
with  a  baby,  who  besought  her  to  have  pity  on 
Madame  Madiai,  and  how  she  had  replied  not  to  de- 
sire to  deceive  any  one,  but  to  speak  the  whole  truth. 
Then  she  continued  describing  the  appearance  of  the 
woman,  and  seeking  by  every  means  to  draw,  not 
only  upon  her,  but  upon  all  her  family,  the  attention 
of  justice. 

Now,  this  witness,  so  zealous  for  the  prosecution, 
and  so  well  informed,  how  did  she  appear  before  you 
in  this  room  ?  You  saw  her.  She  had  hardly  voice 
to  make  herself  heard  ;  she  could  not  raise  her  eyes 
to  the  accused,  nor  to  you.  When  told  to  turn  to 
them,  that  they  might  hear  what  she  with  so  low  and 
trembling  a  voice  related,  she  seemed  nailed  to  her 
seat,  and  would  have  desired  to  turn  her  back  upon 
the  seat  of  the  accused.  Everything  revealed  in 
her,  hesitation  and  remorse.  And  neither  was  her 
memory  propitious,  because  she  would  have  remem- 


REPORT      OF      TUE      TRIAL.  153 

bered  nothiiig  \vithout  the  aid  of  the  explicit  .and  de- 
terminate interrogations  of  the  counsellor.  That  she 
did  not  contradict  herself  was,  perhaps,  from  fear 
that  the  court  should  suspect  m  her  answers  the 
crime  of  false  witness. 

Well  might  the  presence  of  the  accused  render 
her  vacillating  and  uncertain,  since  she  was  stung 
with  remorse  for  her  atrocious  ingratitude.  I  agree 
that  the  witness  must  not  perjure  herself  on  account 
of  gratitude  towards  the  accused.  The  counsellor 
told  this  to  Rosa  Madiai  when,  in  a  moment  of  noble 
indignation,  she  let  fall  from  her  lips  a  bitter  reproof. 
Truth,  I  say  above  all,  truth  and  loyalty.  Thus,  if 
Zaccaguini  had  deposed  nothing  but  the  truth,  we 
should  only  have  to  pity  her  that  she  was  under  the 
pamful  necessity  of  administering  hemlock  to  one 
who  had  fed  and  succored  her.  But  she  has  pre- 
tended and  dissimulated  much.  She  dissimulated 
when  she  withheld  the  fact,  tiiat  if  they  conversed  on 
religion  with  her,  if  they  had  her  to  read  the  Bible 
with  them,  if  they  read  it  to  her,  or  presented  her 
with  one,  it  was  because  she  asked  it ;  because  she 
pretended  to  share  their  faith,  in  order  that  she 
might  more  profitably  draw  forth  their  charity.  She 
did  not,  however,  so  dissimulate,  but  that  you  could 
discover  the  truth,  for,  more  than  once,  she  has  told 
you  that  the  reason  she  did  not  break  away  from  the 
net  in  which  these  evil  people  held  her,  was  because 


154  STORY      OF      THE      MADIA  I. 

of  her  interest  in  remaining  witli  them.**  These 
reiterated  declarations  ought  to  slied  a  clear  light  on 
what  she  has  concealed  in  her  deposition. 

See,  then,  the  ingratitude  of  this  witness ;  ungrate- 
ful, not  for  having  revealed  the  truth,  but  for  having 
counterfeited  it,  and  for  having  lied.  And  of  her 
habitual  fraud  and  dissimulation  we  have  ample 
proof,  so  God's  justice  wills  it,  administered  by 
herself. 

Zaccaguini  has  told  you  that  after  having  re- 
ceived from  Rosa  Madiai  the  Bible,  translated  by 
Diodati,  and  other  heterodox  books,  she  took  them 
all  to  a  monk,  excepting  one,  which  she  burnt. 
Nevertheless,  she  continued  to  frequent  the  house 
of  the  Madiai,  and  to  beg  the  aid  of  an  ill-spent 
generosity.  Thus,  a  kiss,  an  embrace,  a  feast,  often 
cause  to  fall  the  victim  of  a  traitor. 

*  She  replie'3  thus  to  the  judge,  and  repeated  it  at  the 
trial.  She  said  she  was  only  once  present  at  the  reading  of 
the  Bible  raade  by  the  Evangelicals  at  the  house  of  the 
Madiai.  and  tnat — they  are  her  own  words — "  She  went  there 
expressly  to  see  if  they  gave  her  something  for  her  family, 
because  she  was  in  need,  since  many  times  they  had  given 
her  something  for  charity;  but  to  her,  (Rosa  Madia,)  she 
found  the  excuse  that  she  had  gone  on  purpose  to  hear  the 
Bible  read."  She  added  that  once,  to  please  Itosa  Madiai, 
*'  because  she  often  gave  her  six  crazer,  or  a  paul,  or  some- 
thing to  eat,"  she  went  to  see  their  church.  She  said  that 
Tvhen  the  Madiai  spoke  to  her  of  the  Madonna  and  the  saints, 
according  to  the  Evangelical  doctrme,  "  she  gave  no  heed  to 
tnem,  but  did  not  let  them  know  that." 


REPORT      OF     THE      TRIAL.  155 

I  cannot  leave  this  witness  without  Le":2fin2  you 
to  meditate  on  one  other  fact  to  Avhich  she  has  re- 
ferred. She  related  that  being  once  in  extreme 
need  of  help,  she  went  as  usual  to  Madame  Madiai, 
who,  having  kindly  given  her  as  much  as  she  was 
able,  but  not  all  that  she  needed,  advised  her  to 
apply  to  the  fathers  of  Santa  Maria  Novella.  Zacca- 
guini  accepted  the  advice,  but  the  fathers  not  only 
refused  her  all  assistance,  but  expressed  their  re- 
fusal with  words,  and  in  a  manner,  according  to  her, 
far  from  benevolent.  In  many  other  places  Zacca- 
guini  made  the  same  attempt  with  the  same  success. 
She  then  returned  to  Madame  Madiai,  and  so  worked 
on  her  compassion  by  tears  and  entreaties  that  she 
directed  her  to  the  minister  of  the  English  church, 
with  a  note,  as  the  witness  declares,  and  the  accused 
denies.  This  minister,  after  having  received  her  m 
a  kind  manner,  gave  her  five  pauls. — See  !  cries  the 
accusation,  she  was  then  in  correspondence  with  the 
minister  of  the  English  church,  and  sent  him  tliis 
poor  woman,  the  victim  marked  out  for  a  wicked 
propaganda. 

Oh,  tender  and  faithful  accusation,  who  could 
more  than  you  smell  out  heresy  from  so  far  1  And 
why  from  the  very  same  fact  from  which  you  draw 
j  such  sinister  conclusions,  may  I  not  infer  that  Madiai, 
j  purposely,  not  to  distress  the  timorous  conscience  of 
I  Zaccaguini,  directed  her  first  to  the  priests  before 
;  she  sent  her  to  the  English  muiister,  and  that  she 


156  STORY      OF      THE     MA DIAL 

would  not  have  sent  her  to  him  if  the  others  had 
assisted  her.  Wouldst  thou  condemn  her,  because 
moved  to  so  much  pity  by  the  complaints  of  that 
poor  woman,  who  appeared,  alas  !  worthy  of  her 
compassion  ?  And  if  thou  dost  insist  on  believing 
that  she  recommended  her  to  that  minister  with  a 
note,  what  canst  thou  infer  from  that,  on  accusation  ? 
Was  that  a  crime  ?  And  I  do  not  ask  thee  if  it 
would  be  one  for  Madiai  evangelical,  but  if  it  would 
be  for  the  most  ardent  Catholic  1 

Let  us  pass  to  the  third  witness  for  the  prosecu- 
tion, and  she  also  is  a  servant.  I  speak  of  Antoni- 
etta  Marsini.  I  protest  that  of  this  witness,  consid- 
ered of  such  interest  to  the  accusation,  and  on  ac- 
count of  whose  illness  the  trial  was  delayed  till  now, 
I  will  not  discourse  at  any  length. 

I  will  first  observe  that  this  appears  to  be  the 
only  person  who  by  means  of  the  Madiai  has  fallen 
into  religious  error.  I  say  by  means  of  the  Madiai, 
but  not  even  in  this  case  is  there  proof  of  the  crime 
of  proselytism  ;  since,  to  commit  this  crime,  it  is  not 
sufficient  to  convert  a  single  individual,  much  less 
their  house  servant. 

Besides  the  Madiai  are  not  responsible  for  the 
apostacy,  since  all  that  she  has  related  is  improbable, 
false,  and  therefore  unworthy  of  attention. 

She  has  related  to  you  Uiat  when  she  first  went 
to  school  to  learn  to  read  the  Madiai  forbade  her 
to  take  with  her  any  of  their  books,  or  to  speak  of 


REPORT      OF      THE     TRIAL.  157 

their  religious  belief.  If  that  be  true,  no  one  can 
doubt  but  that  the  Madia  used  every  caution  to 
guard  their  secret.  Let  us  concede  more ;  let  us 
suppose  that  conscious,  of  disobeying  the  laws,  they 
wished  to  prevent  the  risk  of  Marsini  revealing  the 
practices  employed  by  them  to  draw  her  from  the 
Catholic  faith.  Well,  if  they  were  so  careful  of  that, 
is  it  conceivable  that  to  her,  so  young,  inexperi- 
enced and  light-minded,  whom  they  hardly  knew, 
they  should  have  confided  the  important  secret  of 
the  pretended  society  of  brethren  organized  by  tens 
and  hundreds.  And  what  other  proof  has  there 
been  of  this  pretended  association,  that  one  must  at 
once  give  credence  to  what  this  woman  says  ?  It  is 
strange  indeed,  that  the  fruitful  imagination  which 
created  this  new  society  to  add  to  it  the  exterminat- 
ed series  of  others,  did  not  raise  to  the  ranks  of  hun- 
dreds to  make  it  at  least  more  extensive. 

What  shall  we  say  to  the  other  insinuation  of 
Marsini,  that  Rosa  Madiai  counselled  her  to  break 
the  objects  of  Catholic  worship,  that  is,  her  rosary 
and  scapulary  1  Supposing  that  the  Evangelical  Ma- 
diai, when  Marsini  herself  had  become  evangelical, 
did  tell  her  that  these  objects  were  signs  of  idolatry, 
since  their  decalogue  docs  not  permit  them.  Would 
that  be  a  crime  when  the  witness  herself  had  joined 
the  same  religious  communion  ?  What  would  we 
say  of  a  converted  Turk  who  preserved  his  talis- 
mans 1 

•    J4 


158  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

You  will  be  better  able  to  judge  of  the  invalidity 
of  her  statements  by  reflecting  on  what  Rosa  Madiai 
has  herself  said  to  you,  and  which  has  been  confirm- 
ed by  Maria  della  Lena,  with  regard  to  the  fault 
committed  by  Marsini,  and  by  her  cruelly  turned 
over  to  Madiai,  namely  the  ceremony  of  the  commu- 
nion, of  which  she  partook  in  the  Evangelical  Church. 
Eosa  Madiai  told  you,  and  Maria  della  Lena  con- 
firmed what  she  said,  that  far  from  instigating  Mar- 
sini to  such  a  step,  it  was  done  spontaneously  and  to 
the  surprise  and  grief  of  her  mistress.  She  herself 
wished  to  go  to  the  Evangelical  Church  attached  to 
the  Prussian  legation,  and  then  in  the  Via  de'  Ser- 
ragli :  and  there  profiting  by  the  moment  when  her 
mistress,  wrapt  in  her  own  thoughts,  was  withdraw- 
ing from  the  altar,  she  went  there  unseen  by  her,  and 
to  the  scandal  of  those  present. 

You  should  also  consider  a  circumstance  only 
brought  to  light  two  days  ago,  that  of  Marsini's 
anger  and  rancor  against  her  mistress  for  not  per- 
mitting an  unknown  youth  to  come  into  her  house, 
whom  she  wished  to  introduce  there.  I  will  say  no 
more  about  this.  May  her  placid  dreams  not  be  dis- 
turbed by  the  dark  vision  of  the  bed  of  grief,  on 
which,  in  prison,  these,  her  victims  imist  lie !  Can 
you  not  now  conceive  it  possible,  nay  probable,  that 
these  rancorous  feelings  have  some  connection  with 
the  present  accusation  1 

Now  we  come  to  the  examination  of  the  deposi- 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  159 

tions  of  the  other  four  pretended  disciples  of  the 
Madiiii. 

With  respect  to  the  first,  Luisa  Bucciolini,  1  wUl 
premise  that  she  cannot  say  that  Madiai  taught  her 
heterodox  maxims,  since  she  herself  admits  that  once 
only  he  spoke  to  her  irreverently  of  the  priest  and 
the  mass.  ^luch  less  can  one  from  this  infer  the 
crime  of  proselytism.  "  The  same  "svord,"  says 
Filangieri,  "  uttered  in  one  way,  raise  a  certain  idea, 
uttered  in  another  tone  or  with  a  different  gesture, 
it  wakes  quite  an  opposite  idea.  How  often  have 
the  most  honest  men  been  accused  of  irreligion,  im- 
piety and  sedition,  for  some  words  misunderstood  by 
some  stupid  person,  ignorant  of  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  were  uttered,  and  not  distinguishing  irony 
from  the  truth  of  expression.  The  fires  of  the  Inqui- 
sition would  have  burnt  many  less,  unhappy  persons, 
if  there  had  been  less  faith  given  to  the  testimonies 
against  them." 

Will  you  now  remark  the  resemblance  between 
this  deposition  and  that  of  Zaccaguini  1  You  have 
not  forgotten  that  Zaccaguini  took  counsel  with  her 
as  to  the  use  of  the  books  she  had  requested  and  re- 
ceived from  the  Madiai.  You  have  not  forgotten 
that  Bucciolmi  has  obligations,  (dangerous  indeed,) 
on  the  gratitude  of  Zaccaguini  for  not  small  sums 
and  for  signal  bounties.  You  must  finally  have  re- 
marked, that  Bucciolini,  Zaccaguini,  and  Marsini, 
seem  almost  to  have  lent  the  book  to  each  other  U 


160  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

learn  their  parts.    Each  one  of  the  witnesses  has  re- 
lated her  own,  but  all  from  the  same  drama. 

You  Imve  another  proof  of  the  darmg  lies  of  this 
witness.  She  asserts  having  seen  frequently  go  into 
the  house  of  the  Madiai,  and  even  a  few  days  before 
their  arrest,  a  man  whom,  from  her  description  of 
him,  you  concluded,  and  she  agreed  that  it  was  so, 
to  be  Fedele  Betti.  How !  Fedele  Bctti,  who,  on 
the  16th  of  May,  1851,  was  sent  by  the  police  for  six 
months  to  Ortobello,  and  on  the  21st  of  the  same 
month,  having  obtained  commutation  of  the  penalty 
for  exile  elsewhere,  left  Florence ;  he  on  some  days 
near  the  17th  of  August  of  the  same  year,  was  again 
in  Florence,  and  seen  by  this  woman  entering  the 
house  of  the  Madiai  1  Such  is  the  ingenuity  and  good 
faith  of  the  witnesses  for  the  prosecution,  who,  wish- 
ing to  oppose  the  equivocal  and  old  facts  of  the  depo- 
sitions for  the  defence,  by  recent  certain  facts,  and 
play  a  trick  with  truth,  and  mock  the  inexorable 
logic  of  the  calendar. 

The  fifth  disciple,  according  to  the  accusation,  is 
Gurico  Materassi,  and  he  also  comes  to  throw  a 
stone  at  the  head  of  his  pretended  masters.  Nephew 
of  Bucciolini,  he  shares  with  pious  obedience  and 
affection,  the  pilot  of  the  three  women.  And  this  is 
little.  He  says  more,  in  the  declaration  that  he 
frankly  made,  that  he  first  refused  with  a  species  of 
holy  indignation,  but  afterwards  requested  from 
Madiai  the  Bible,  which  that  person  had,  he  says, 


REPORT      OF      THE       TRIAL.  IGl 

shown  him;  and  that  he  asked  for  it  with  the  .sole 
intention  of  consigning  it  to  his  mother.  In  a  youth 
not  yet  twenty  years  old,  such  deceit  and  fraud  can- 
not, it  seems  to  me,  be  expiated  by  his  determination 
to  withdraw  to  a  cloister.  Perhaps  in  those  sacred 
recesses,  thinking  by-and-by  on  past  times,  he  will 
grieve  over  his  anger  and  unadvised  injustice  towards 
these  unhappy  creatures.  May  he  give  to  youths 
the  example  of  repentance  and  amendment,  as  he 
now,  alas !  offers  them  that  of  a  precocious  malignity. 

But  w^hat  can  be  concluded  from  the  substance 
of  his  deposition  1  He  has  related  that  Madiai  being 
requested  by  him  to  teach  him  to  read  the  French 
language,  placed  under  his  eyes  a  Bible  translated  in 
that  tongue.  He  has  also  added  the  usual  story 
already  explained  by  Zaccaguini  and  Bucciolini  with 
regard  to  the  usual  insults  offered  by  Madiai  to  the 
priests,  monks.  Virgin  and  saints:  uniim  eumclemque 
meditatcm  sermonem.  Now  is  it  credible  that  Madiai 
should  have  held  discourses  of  this  tenor  with  this 
youth  who  displays  so  much  Catholic  zeal,  which  he 
says  took  place  at  the  door  of  the  house,  when  he 
did  not  hold  similar  discourses  with  other  people, 
who  would  have  placed  a  better  construction  on 
them,  and  with  whom  he  had  quite  another  way  of 
conversing,  such  as  Giorni,  Fantoni,  Simoni,  and  so 
many  others'?     This  deposition  proves  nothing. 

As  to  Guiseppe  Cavaciocchi,  and  Serafini  Van- 
nini,  the  two  last  of  the  seven  pretended  disciples, 
14* 


162  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

recollect  how  doubtful  both  were ;  if  they  affirmed 
anything  it  was  not  without  many  contradictions, 
.and  you  remained  doubtful  if  they  referred  to  the 
written  examination,  or  if  they  remembered  what 
they  had  said.  Besides,  what  sort  of  discourses  did 
Madiai  hold  with  Cavaciocchi  and  Vannini  ?  To  one 
he  explained  some  principles  of  his  religion  and  his 
own  opinions,  as  for  example,  the  duty  of  not  pray- 
ing to  the  Virgin  and  saints,  the  too  great  number, 
according  to  him,  of  churches  and  priests,  &;c.  To 
the  other  he  once  said,  if  I  mistake  not,  that  the  oil 
of  the  light  for  the  Madonna  might  have  been  con- 
sumed for  some  other  purpose.  Is  this  the  teaching 
that  can  constitute  the  imputed  crime  % 

But  not  only  towards  these  is  it  pretended  that 
the  Madiai  exercised  the  teaching  of  heterodox  doc- 
trines ;  it  is  said  that  they  did  so  with  little  children. 
And  here  the  accusation  is  destroyed  by  what 
Antonietta  Marsini  herself  deposed.  They  were  all 
the  children  of  Evangelical  parents.  And  if  such 
-were  the  case,  who  can  reprove  the  Madiai  for  hav- 
ing instructed  them  in  their  religion?  Can  it  be 
said  that  they  have  subverted  their  principles,  or 
made  proselytes,  when  the  sovereign  will  of  the 
father  of  the  flimily  destined  them  to  that  confession  ? 

I  think  I  have  thus  confuted  one  of  the  heads  of 
the  accusation,  the  teaching  of  false  doctrine.  For  I 
will  recall  this  to  your  minds,  that  to  contract  the 
crime  of  proselytism^  it  is  not  sufficient  to  have  pro- 


REPORT     OF     THE      TRIAL.  1G3 

fessed  with  this  or  that  person  an ti -Catholic  maxims, 
they  must  have  been  professed  with  the  direct  inten- 
tion of  making  proselytes^  and  overthrowing  the  reli- 
gion of  the  State  ;  they  must  have  been  professed  in 
public  to  crowds  assembled  a7id  listening  ;  they  must 
have  been  sustained  in  public  controversy,  public 
order  must  have  been  disturbed. 

Nor  is  the  other  head  of  the  accusation,  namely, 
the  ditmsion  of  heterodox  books,  more  established. 
If  you  exclude  those  received  by  Marsini  and  Zacca- 
guini,  and  which  cannot  constitute  dij/'usion,  since 
they  have  been  rather  yielded  by  the  Madiai  than 
given,  and  since  the  number  is  too  small  for  them  to 
be  said  to  be  diffused,  excluding  these,  whence  can 
you  conclude  the  said  diffusion  ? 

Would  you  conclude  it  from  the  deposition  of 
IMaterassi,  to  Avhom  Madiai  gave  a  Bible  that  he 
might  exercise  himself  in  the  French  language,  and 
while  they  stood  at  the  house  door?  lias  he  not 
said  that  Madiai  refused  to  give  him  the  book  when 
he  asked  for  it  1  Will  you  conclude  it  from  the  de- 
position of  the  Padre  Guiseppe  Ricca,  curate  of 
Santa  Iklaria  Novella,  who  asserts  that  the  Madiai 
diffused  heterodox  books,  because  he  heard  say  so 
from  an  English  Catholic  ivho  has  left  Florence,  and 
whose  name  he  does  not  know,  and  has  also  heard  it 
from  Francesco  Centofantil  What  authority  can 
this  witness  have  who  only  deposes  de  audi  to,  and 
who,  from  a  single  word  come  to  his  ears  from  two 


164  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

persons,  hastened  to  denounce  to  the  Ecclesiastical 
Court  two  citizens  whom  he  never  approached, 
though  he  suspected  their  error,  to  manifest  towards 
them  those  acts  of  pastoral  solicitude  which  his  ser- 
vice enjoins  on  him  1 

Let  us,  besides  examine  the  deposition  of  Cento- 
fan  ti.  He  relates,  that  in  1850,  having  met  Madiai 
alone  at  the  door  of  his  house,  (it  is  singular  that 
the  accused  so  often  chose  that  place  for  making  a 
propaganda  !)  the  latter  said  to  him,  that  he  would 
give  him  a  book  which  narrated  a  fact  that  had  oc- 
curred in  the  Low  Countries,  and  for  w^hich  book  he 
had  paid  three  pauls,  adding,  that  for  three  pauls  he 
had  procured  a  true  Gospel.  He  did  not,  however, 
give  Centofanti  this  book,  or  if  he  did  give  it  him  in 
the  evening,  it  was  returned  next  morning  without 
being  read,  for  the  witness,  more  solile,  did  not  ap- 
pear to  have  his  memory  very  clear  on  that  point. 
This,  he  says,  he  related  to  the  Padre  Ricca,  and  no 
one  else ;  besides  this,  he  does  not  know  that  the 
Madiai  diffused  heterodox  books.  Are  these  com- 
bined testimonies  of  any  value  ? 

I  will  not  return  to  the  depositions  of  Marsini 
and  Zaccaguini,  the  invalidity  of  their  evidence  has 
been  already  proved.  And  supposing  it  to  be  true 
that  the  Madiai  kept  a  large  number  in  their  house 
to  distribute,  may  it  not  be  believed,  as  the  accused 
maintain,  that  they  only  gave  them  to  their  co-reli- 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  165 

gionists  1  And  does  not  this  verify  the  diffusion 
contemplated  in  the  penal  law  of  17SG  ? 

Several  books  and  evangelical  works  were  found 
in  their  house.  Well !  Have  not  wc  all,  have  not 
you  yourselves,  more  than  one  serious  "book  in  your 
house,  and  more  than  one  copy  of  the  same  book  1 
And  even  of  this  the  Madiai  could  have  offered  a 
plausible  reason  ;  that  they  had  been  left  behind  by 
foreigners  who  had  lived  in  their  house,  and  which 
they  had  kept  because  they  were  evangelical,  or  be- 
cause they  would  have  needed  to  restore  them  to 
their  owners.  In  short,  there  is  not  one  circumstance 
capable  of  proving  this  point  of  the  accusation. 

1  will  not  discourse  at  any  length  on  the  third 
objection  of  the  accusation,  that  of  re-unions  held  at 
the  house  of  the  Madiai,  for  the  purpose  of  reading 
the  Bible  translated  by  Diodati.  The  same  witness- 
es who  related  this  fact,  could  not  omit  one  circum- 
stance in  which  they  all  agree,  viz  :  that  these  re- 
unions were  composed  exclusively  of  individuals  be- 
longing to  the  Evangelical  confession.  And  when 
the  public  force,  on  the  evening  of  ITth  August,  ex- 
pected to  surprise  a  re-union  of  propagandists^  it 
only  found  there  four  persons  :  one  born  in  the  An- 
glican faith  ;  two  already  evangelical,  one  for  three 
and  the  other  for  fourteen  years,  the  fourth,  a  child 
of  evangelical  parents,  and  brought  up  in  the  evan- 
gelical confession.  Could  this  re-union  constitute 
material  for  a  crime  1 


166  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

Neither  the  teaching  of  heterodox  doctrines,  nor 
the  diffusion  of  heterodox  books,  nor  criminal  re- 
unions,  nothing  is  proved  to  justify  the  accusation 
under  which  these  unhappy  people  have  so  long  suf- 
fered. 

Not  teaching,  because  such  is  not  the  merely  in- 
dividual expression  of  anti-Catholic  sentiments  or 
opinions,  and  because  it  is  not  a  crime  when  exer- 
cised towards  those  already  joined  to  the  heterodox 
communion,  or  who  spontaneously  and  deliberately 
not  wait  for,  but  seek  it ;  nor  when  it  is  privately 
exercised  within  the  domestic  walls.  It  is  not  there 
that  they  can  harangue  an  assembled  croivd,  excite 
commotion  or  sedition  among  the  feo'ple  ;  it  is  not 
there  that  they  dispute  in  public,  to  insinuate  false 
doctrines  into  the  general  mind.  None  of  these 
things  have  been  done  by  the  Madiai. 

Not  the  diffusion  of  heterodox  books,  because 
such  is  not  that  small  distribution  which  has  been, 
if  you  choose  to  believe  it,  proved.  It  is  not  diffu- 
sion, because  the  number  of  books  distributed  was 
very  few,  and  the  mode  of  doing  it  not  pvblic^  or 
such  as  to  disseminate  false  doctrine  in  the  minds  of 
the  people^  [in  vulgus,)  and  because  diffusion  is  not 
a  crime  when  it  does  not  go  beyond  the  circle  of  co- 
religionists. 

Not  the  re-unions,  or  assemblies,  because  the  he- 
terodox do  not  violate  the  law  if,  in  exercising  the 
rites  of  a  worship  which  the  law  tolerates,  they  re- 


HEPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL.  It'iT 

tire  into  closer  and  private  places,  since  no  scandal^ 
or  civil  disturbance,  can  arise  therefrom  ;  scandal  or 
disturbance  being  facts  which  determine  the  judicial 
idea  of  crime. 

Nothing  of  this  kind  is  proved ;  and  nothing 
could  certainly  be  proved  by  means  of  witnesses  so 
little  worthy  of  attention. 

But  now  they  may  rest  in  peace ;  since  it  has 
taken  me  so  long  to  wake  them  to  a  sense  of  tardy 
acknowldgment  of  error,  and  it  will  be  better  for 
me  "  to  leave  behind  me  a  sea  so  cruel."*  I  will 
only  now  make  a  contrast  between  the  witnesses 
for  the  prosecution,  and  those  for  the  defence. 

The  greater  part  of  the  former  would  have  remem- 
bered nothing,  if  what  they  had  before  deposed  had 
not  been  read  to  them  almost  word  for  word.  I 
have  admired  the  patience  of  the  coimsellor  who 
had  to  interrogate  them  in  their  own  words,  and  to 
awake,  with  studious  care,  their  weary  memories  on 
all  the  particulars  of  their  depositions.  But  I  have 
also  admired  the  supreme  justice  of  God,  when  I 
saw  those  accusers,  who  were  so  bold  when  alone  in 
the  room  of  the  judge,  placed,  to-day,  face  to  flice 
with  the  accused,  lose  almost  their  tongue  and  voice, 
pale,  hesitating,  deaf,  forgetful  and  stupid. 

On  the  contrarv,  how  did  the  witnesses  for  the 
defence  appear  before  you  ?  Have  they  feared  your 

1*  "Di  lasciar  dietro  a  me  mar  si  crudele." — Dante,  Purga- 
torio.  c.  1. 


168  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

interrogations  ?  Have  they  ever  contradicted  them- 
selves  ?  Did  they  not  plainly  speak  the  simple  lan- 
guage of  truth  ?  And  how  much  are  they  not  supe- 
rior to  their  adversaries  for  faith,  customs,  gravity, 
and  esteem  ?  In  which  do  you  see  the  integrity  of 
face,  honesty,  as  our  wise  men  understood  it. 

I  now  conclude  my  not  short  discourse.  I  pre- 
mised it  with  the  words  of  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
writers,  that  the  penal  law  can  ill  pretend  to  judge 
in  questions  of  religion ;  and  I  have  sought  to  deter- 
mine when  the  civil  power  could  wisely  and  legiti- 
mately interfere.  In  this  disquisition  I  have  seen 
fit  to  speak  of  the  great  principle  of  religious  tolerar 
tion  and  liberty  of  conscience.  The  most  splendid 
authorities,  called  to  the  aid  of  reason,  must  have 
persuaded  you  (and  surely,  there  was  not  need  of 
so  much)  that  this  being  a  principle,  as  it  is,  of  our 
political  constitution,  is  also  sacred  and  inviolable 
for  the  interests  of  all  times  and  all  societies. 

Then,  only,  I  told  you,  can  human  law  meddle 
with  religious  questions,  when  it  is  necessary  to 
guarantee  the  free  and  full  exercise  of  that  right 
which  is  a  civil  right ;  to  restrain  the  abuse  of  it ; 
to  prevent  others  from  making  arms  wherewith  to 
disturb  society  ;  to  restore  it  if  disturbed. 

Thus  establishing  the  generic  idea  of  the  crime  of 
religion  civilly  punishable.  I  have  delineated  the 
specific  idea  of  the  crime  of  proselytism,  and  have 


REPORT      OF      THE      TRIAL  1G9 

spoken  of  the  guilttj  intention^  the  evil  done,  and  the 
puhlicity. 

I  have  examined  the  flicts,  and  found  that  there 
are  no  proofs  of  the  existence  of  these. 

Not  guilUj  intention,  because  a  thousand  facts 
adduced  for  the  defence  prove  the  habitual  respect 
of  the  accused  for  the  convictions  of  others,  and  be- 
cause the  facts  brought  forward  for  the  prosecution 
are  inconclusive  and  equivocal. 

Not  evil  done,  because  no  conscience  has  been 
subverted,  no  apprehension  was  caused  before  this 
trial  came  on,  no  disturbance  has  happened  in  the 
city. 

Not  publicitf/,  because  the  accused  have  not 
preached  from  the  pulpit,  have  not  disputed  in  the 
cathedrals,  have  not  harangued  the  crowds,  nor  dif- 
fused books  in  the  public  road.  They  exercised  their 
faith  in  private  meetings,  in  secluded  places,  and 
amongst  persons  already  connected  with  their  com- 
munion. 

I  have  thus  finished  the  defence.  I  have  shown 
you  the  innocence  of  those  tried.  It  now  remains 
for  you  to  pronounce  their  acquittal. 

I  have  been  told  that  the  times  are  grave  and 
suspicious.  The  pious  counsel  has  also  insinuated 
that  I  ought  to  abstain  from  defending  two  unbeliev- 
ers. I  declare  to  you  that  I  shrunk  from  the  base 
insinuation.  Even  if  I  should  have  run  some  risk  I 
would  have  repelled  it.     The  sacred  office  of  the  de- 


170  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

fence,  the  shield  of  my  conscience,  and  the  force  of 
truth,  would  have  rendered  me  fearless.  But  I  re- 
plied with  a  protest,  which  1  felt  was  due  to  all  the 
order  of  the  court. 

The  times  are  grave  and  threatening,  if  you  will. 
Within  here  governments  do  not  change,  political 
faith  is  not  cancelled.  The  magistracy  consults  the 
laws  and  its  own  conscience  ;  it  judges,  not  governs; 
it  moderates  passions,  not  seconds  them.  I  do  not 
fear  for  those  whom  I  recommend  to  you,  much 
less  do  I  fear  for  myself  Indeed,  I  think  that  hav- 
ing defended  them  makes  me  worthy  of  your  con- 
sideration. 

For  I  did  not  come  to  implore  your  indulgence 
for  the  thief  or  murderer,  who,  nevertheless,  have  a 
right  to  be  defended.  I  came  to  confute  a  vain  and 
unjust  accusation  :  an  accusation  that  dares  approach 
the  sanctuary  of  the  conscience,  the  relations  of  man 
with  God,  the  solution  of  the  most  tremendous 
problem  which  is  reserved  for  us  after  life.  I  came 
to  protect  two  pious,  upright  and  honest  persons,  if 
there  ever  was  any  ;  pious,  upright,  and  honest,  by 
the  confession  of  those  who  have  most  studiously  la- 
bored to  bring  charges  against  them. 

I  defended  them  with  that  fidelity  for  which  I 
pride  myself,  and  which  at  the  beginning  of  this 
grave  trial,  the  President  was  pleased  to  remind  me: 
a  fidelity  which,  as  it  ought  to  be  a  measure  of  the 


REPORT     OF      THE      TRIAL.  171 

liberty  of  defenders,  so  ought  to  be  measure  of  your 
sovereignty,  magistrates. 

I  defended  them  with  the  full  confidence  which 
the  conviction  of  their  innocence  inspired  ;  and  it  is 
pleasing  to  me  to  repeat  to  them  publicly  the  hom- 
age of  my  esteem  and  affection,  now  that,  my  office 
finished,  I  recommend  them  to  your  justice. 

I  feel  sure  you  will  fulfil  my  wishes.  For  with- 
in these  precincts  we  have  one  only  banner,  one  only 
end  in  our  debates  :  for  you,  as  for  us,  condemnations 
are  defeats,  acquittals  are  victories. 


THE    SENTENCE. 

Sentence  against  Francesco,  son  of  the  late 
Vicenzio  Madiai,  and  Rosa,  his  wife,  accused  of 
impiety. 

The  decree  of  this  Court,  of  25th  November, 
1851,  having  been  examined,  and  likewise  the  act  of 
accusation  of  the  same  year,  the  witnesses  having 
been  heard  in  a  public  discussion,  the  public  minis- 
ter having  summed  up,  and  Odvardo  Maggiorani, 
counsel  for  the  Madiai,  with  the  accused  themselves, 
liaving  been  last  heard,  the  results  of  the  discussion 
seem  to  be  the  following : — 

That  Francesco  and  Rosa  ^Madiai,  born  and 
brought  up  in  Catholicism,  separated  from  it  four 
or  five  years  back,  to  embrace  the  religion  called 


172  STORY      OF     THE      MADIA  I. 

by  them  Evangelical,  or  religion  of  the  pure  Gospel. 

That  they  lent  their  house  for  reunions,  and 
when  the  teacher  who  generally  presided  at  these 
was  banished  from  Tuscany,  and  by  means  of  the 
police  this  sect  was  broken  up,  and  the  number  of 
those  who  assembled  at  the  house  of  the  Madiai 
much  diminished  ;  the  meetings,  nevertheless,  still 
continued,  and  one  was  held  on  the  17th  August, 
1851,  when  the  public  force  surprised  three  indivi- 
duals there,  who,  together  with  a  child  of  fifteen, 
w^hom  the  Madiai  had  lodged  in  their  house  for  a 
short  time,  were  occupied  in  reading  the  Bible, 
translated  by  Diodati,  each  one  having  a  copy  under 
his  eye. 

That  in  the  house  of  the  said  Madiai  were,  not 
only  many  copies  of  the  said  Bible,  and  others  in 
the  English  language,  and  books  of  prayers  for  the 
use  of  the  heterodox,  but  besides,  various  works  of 
the  same  nature,  and  even  many  copies  of  each. 

That  Francesco  Madiai,  profiting  by  the  oppor- 
tunity of  teaching  the  French  language  to  a  lad  of 
sixteen,  labored,  though  without  effect,  to  detach 
him  from  the  Catholic  faith,  seeking  to  persuade 
him  that  it  was  false,  and  offering  him,  together  with 
his  wife,  a  prohibited  copy  of  the  Bible  in  French 
and  Italian. 

That,  also,  with  others,  Francesco  held  language 
insinuating  that  the  so-called  "  Evangelical "  religion 
merited  preference  to  the  Catholic  belief. 


THE      SENTENCE.  173 

That  with  two  women  who  served  the  Madiai, 
and  a  third  who  lived  with  them  about  eight  months, 
from  December,  1850,  they  displayed  the  intention 
of  leading  them  to  abjure  Catholicism,  and  embrace 
the  Pure  Gospel,  holding  with  all,  readings  and  dis- 
courses tending  to  throw  discredit  on  the  clergy,  and 
the  doctrines  taught  by  them,  particularly  on  purga- 
tory, denying  its  existence ;  upon  the  holy  sacrifice 
of  the  mass,  declaring  it  an  invention  of  the  priests, 
and  impugning  the  real  presence  in  the  consecrated 
host;  upon  the  intercession  of  the  blessed  Virgin 
Mary  and  the  saints,  declaring  it  impossible,  and 
dishonoring  to  God ;  upon  the  authority  of  the  high 
pontiff,  denying  his  power;  upon  the  observance  of 
other  festivals  than  Sunday;  and  upon  the  mortifica- 
tion, consistintT  in  abstaining:  from  certain  kinds  of 
food,  declaring  it  an  invention  of  sinful  men ;  upon 
the  sacrament  of  communion,  and  upon  sacramental 
confession,  declaring  the  first  misunderstood  and 
wrongly  administered,  because  it  is  not  true  the 
chancrinor  of  the  bread  and  wine,  and  because  the 
wine  ought  not  to  be  denied  to  the  laity ;  and  re- 
proving the  second,  because  made  to  man  and  not 
to  God. 

That  with  one  of  these  women,  older  than  the 
others,  who  generally  maintained  the  discussion 
upon  such  matters,  their  attempts  were  of  no  effect. 
That  with  the  younger,  needy  and  very  ignorant, 
aided  with  pecuniary  assistance,  and  by  continued 
15* 


174  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

instruction,  together  with  books  adapted  to  their  in- 
tentions, the  result  was  serious  doubts  upon  the  true 
faith.  That  with  the  third,  little  more  than  twenty 
years  of  age,  and  removed  from  all  religious  instruc- 
tion, they  succeeded  in  making  her  abandon  the  true 
religion,  to  adopt  that  professed  by  her  masters. 
That  the  Madiai  also  gave  themselves  the  trouble  of 
teaching  her  to  read,  that  she  might  be  able  to  under- 
stand the  books  which  they  afterwards  supplied, 
namely,  the  Bible,  translated  by  Diodati ;  and  another, 
entitled  "  Book  of  Common  Prayer,"  printed  in 
London,  in  1848,  by  the  "Society  for  the  Promo- 
tion of  Christian  Knowledge,"  in  which  are  found 
those  maxims  and  doctrines  condemned  by  the  Cath- 
olic Church,  which  the  Madiai  had  verbally  taught, 
particularly  that  the  existence  of  purgatory  and  the 
worship  of  images  are  foolish  inventions,  that  in  the 
sacrament  of  the  eucharist  there  is  not  any  transub- 
stantiation,  and  other  similar  notorious  heretical 
depravities  above  mentioned. 

That  the  same  young  woman,  admitted  to  the 
reading  of  the  Bible,  which  they  did  together,  com- 
menting on  it  in  the  way  already  mentioned,  aban- 
doned the  practice  of  the  Catholic  worship,  and  to 
obey  the  injunctions  of  Madame  Madiai,  who  accused 
her  of  idolatry,  she  left  off  using  the  rosaries  which 
she  possessed,  partook  twice  (being  conducted  to  the 
place  by  Madame  Madiai,)  of  the  communion  made 
by  them,  in  commemoration  of  the  last  supper,  and 


THE      SENTENCE.  175 

did  not  awake  from  her  error  till  reconducted  to 
her  paternal  house  for  a  few  days,  and  carrying  with 
her  the  Italian  Bible ;  this  being  found,  caused  the 
discovery  of  her  wanderings. 

That  the  Madiai  denying  that  sectarian  meet- 
ini{s  were  held  at  their  house,  acknowledije  that  a 
few  friends  there  met  together  to  attend  to  the  prac- 
tices of  the  newly-embraced  religion,  and  declare  the 
apostasy  of  the  young  woman  in  their  service  to 
have  been  made  spontaneously  by  her,  and  not  in 
consequence  of  their  insinuations. 

That  notwithstanding  this,  neither  their  opposi- 
tion nor  the  witnesses  brought  forward,  have  suc- 
ceeded in  destroying  the  facts  objected  against  them 
in  the  accusation. 

That  Francesco  has  suffered  imprisonment  for 
the  present  procedure,  from  the  17th  August  1851, 
and  Rosa  Madiai  from  the  27th  of  the  same  month 
and  year. 

Whereas,  with  regard  to  the  Madiai,  accused  of 
impiety  committed  by  means  of  proselytism,  it  ap- 
peared foreign  to  the  question  all  that  referred  to 
liberty  of  conscience  and  religious  toleration,  because 
the  first  is  not  offended  when  the  citizens  are  com- 
manded to  render  an  account  merely  of  external 
acts,  and  the  latter  is  guarded,  not  trampled  upon, 
when  it  seeks  to  hinder  others  from  beinsj  seduced 
to  abandon  the  religion  they  profess. 

Whereas,  precisely  for  this,  the  penal  laws,  agree- 


176  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

ably  with  the  declarations  of  the  clearest  writers, 
recognise  in  proselytism  a  crime  civilly  imputable. 

Whereas,  resulting  from  the  preceding  facts,  it 
is  undeniable  that  the  Madiai  labored  on  many  dif- 
ferent occasions,  and  even  with  success,  to  make 
proselytes  to  the  religion  newly  embraced  by  them, 
it  only  remained  to  be  considered  whether  in  such  a 
fact  existed  the  extremes  required  by  the  60th  Art. 
of  the  law  of  30th  November,  1786,  for  the  appli- 
cation of  its  penal  ratification. 

Whereas,  the  extreme  of  guilty  intention  in  such 
a  crime  occurs  whenever  the  intention  of  the  agent 
is  directed  to  increase  the  ranks  of  dissenting  sects, 
to  the  prejudice  of  the  religion  of  the  state,  and  that 
of  evil  done  according  to  the  facts  now  established 
in  our  jurisprudence,  it  is  certified  that  these  acts, 
though  not  committed  in  public  places,  have  been 
done  in  the  presence  of  many  persons,  and  are  exten- 
sively propagated,  and  engendered  a  grave  scandal. 

It  is  declared  evident  that  impiety  was  committed 
Iby  Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai  by  means  of  prose- 
lytism to  the  so-called  Evangelical  confession,  or  re- 
ligion of  the  pure  Gospel,  to  the  prejudice  of  the 
Catholic  religion,  predominant  in  the  Grand  Duchy, 
in  the  time  and  way  above  mentioned. 

And  whereas  the  crime  of  impiety,  by  means  of 
proselytism,  is  manifestly  contemplated  by  the  60th 
article  of  the  law  of  the  country  of  30th  November, 
1786,  and  is  repressed  never  with  less  than  most 


THE      SENTENCE.  177 

exemplary  punishment ;  of  which,  all  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  being  considered,  it  appears  that 
the  second  degree  is  proportioned  to  the  delinquency, 
represented  in  virtue  of  successive  laws,  by  the  na- 
ture and  amount  of  penalty  afterwards  mentioned. 

Whereas  the  deductions  of  the  defence  have  all 
been  replied  to  by  the  previous  proposition  of  facts 
and  consideration  of  right. 

The  following  articles  having  been  examined; 
the  GOth  of  the  law  of  30th  November,  1786  ;  1,  4, 
9,  14  of  the  Decree  of  4th  March,  1849,  confirmed 
by  the  other  of  5th  ^lay  following,  and  34  and  35 
of  the  police  regulations  of  22d  November,  1849, 
and  55  of  the  above-mentioned  law  of  30th  Novem- 
ber, 17SG,  d:c. 

Francesco,  son  of  the  late  Vincenzio  Madiai,  and 
Rosa,  his  wife,  are  condemned,  the  former  to  the 
punishment  of  56  months'  seclusion  in  the  prison  of 
forced  labor  at  Volterra,  and  the  latter  to  45  months 
of  Ergastolo  (the  female  galleys)  calculated  in  the 
one  case  from  the  26th  of  November,  1851,  and  in 
the  other  from  the  27th  of  the  same  month  and  year ; 
they  are  likewise  condemned  to  pay  the  expenses  of 
the  trial,  and  made  subject  to  the  surveillance  of  the 
Police  for  three  years  after  the  completion  of  their 
imprisonment.  Such  was  the  termination  of  this 
important  trial. 


178  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI 


OPINIONS   OF   THE    LAWYERS. 

The  case  of  the  Madiai  having  been  considered 
and  examined  by  the  Signori  Salvagnoli,  Mori,  and 
Galeotti,  three  celebrated  lawyers  of  Florence,  they 
having  also  seen  the  heads  of  the  defence,  gave  their 
full  approbation  of  the  ground  on  which  the  defence 
was  made,  and  their  conviction  of  its  justice. 

The  first  says: — "The  State  must  be  laic  not 
atheistic.  And  being  laic  and  not  atheistic,  whether 
one  religion  is  fixed  as  its  own  or  not,  it  can  impose 
none  on  the  citizens,  and  ought  to  preserve  the  pub- 
lic worship  or  private  exercise  of  every  religion. 
Coming  to  the  case  under  examination,  I  cannot  but 
approve  of  the  proofs  brought  forward  by  the  learned 
counsel,  and  I  add  my  firm  opinion  that  no  action, 
recognized  as  criminal  by  our  laws,  can  be  imputed 
to  the  Madiai." 

The  others  add  : — "  Having  examined,  with  the 
greatest  diligence,  the  cause  of  proselytism  charged 
against  the  Madiai,  we  are  persuaded  that  not  only 
do  these  charges,  in  flict,  not  exist,  but  that  in  this 
case  may  be  justly  claimed  the  fundamental  princi- 
ples of  public  right.  Therefore,  from  a  sense  of 
truth,  and  with  firm  and  tranquil  conviction,  we 
agree  to  the  line  of  defence  adopted  by  the  learned 
counsel  of  the  Madiai." 


ADDITIONAL      FACTS.  179 

Additional  Facts  Relating  to  the  Trial. 

We  give,  from  authentic  Italian  sources,  the  fol- 
lowing notices  of  the  trial,  which  will  be  read  with 
interest. 

The  presiding  judges  (as  there  was  no  jury)  were 
Sig.  Nervini,  who,  during  the  whole  trial,  appeared 
very  bitter  against  the  culprits  ;  Cocchi,  the  interro- 
gating Judge,  the  same  who  received  a  hard  rebuke 
durmg  the  State  trial  of  Guerrazzi ;  and  Bicchierai, 
the  public  prosecutor. 

At  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  gendarmes  brought 
three  prisoners  into  the  court — Pasquae  Casacci, 
the  informer,  was  the  picture  of  an  unhappy  man  ; 
Francesco  Madiai  appeared  happy  to  see  his  wife 
again,  and  pressed  her  hand ;  and  Rosa  (his  wife) 
was  pale,  and  trembled  with  emotion.  The  few 
persons  present  were  surprised,  and  moved  with  the 
tranquillity  and  firmness  of  the  two  accused. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  trial,  the  presiding 
Judge  asked  from  Francesco  Madiai  if  he  was  born 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Holy  JMother,  the  Roman  Ca- 
tholic Church. 

A.  Yes,  sir,  was  the  reply;  but  now  I  am  a 
Christian  according  to  the  Gospel. 

Q.  Who  has  made  you  such,  and  does  there 
exist  an  act  of  abjuration  amongst  those  you  are 
united  tol 

A.  My  convictions  have  existed  for  many  years, 


180  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI 

but  have  acquired  strength  from  the  study  of  the 
word  of  God. 

Q.  Who  advised  you  to  leave  the  Catholic  faith  1 

A.  Nobody ;  it  has  been  a  matter  between  God 
and  my  own  soul. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  made  a  public  abjuration? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  When  and  how  1 

A.  When  I  took  the  communion  in  the  Swis3 
church. 

Q.  Have  you  distributed  among  the  people  any 
publication  contrary  to  the  dogmas  of  the  Roman 
church  *? 

A.  No,  sir ;  the  tracts  I  gave  people  to  read 
contained  only  passages  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  but 
nothing  of  controversy  between  the  two  commu- 
nions. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  hold  religious  meetings  in  your 
house  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  say  and  do  1 

A.  That  we  were  all  believers  in  the  Evangelical 
church,  and  as  such  we  used  to  congregate  and  pray. 

Here  Casacci  said  to  the  President  that  many 
were  Catholics,  and  Francesco  Madiai  and  Rosa  (his 
wife)  persuaded  them  to  leave  the  Papal  church. 

Q.  What  have  you  to  say,  Francesco  Madiai, 
against  the  deposition  of  the  present  witness  1 
A.  Those  who  were  yet  Catholics  desired  to  be- 


ADDITIONAL      FACTS.  181 

come  acquainted  with  the  eternal  truth,  and  under 
such  circumstances  I  could  not  refuse  them  admit- 
tance to  my  house. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  had  any  religious  controversy 
during  the  time  you  spoke  against  the  church  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir,  only  when  I  was  provoked  ;  I  spoke 
of  the  dogmas  of  the  church  as  contrary  to  the  Bible, 
but  have  never  used,  during  this  conversation,  any 
disrespectful  language. 

Hereupon  the  President  ordered  Francesco  Ma- 
diai  to  sit  down.     His  wife  was  called  to  stand  up. 

Q.  Have  you  changed  your  religion  for  any  ma- 
terial object? — did  you  ever  receive  any  pecuniary 
remuneration  1 

A.  No.  sir  ;  I  have  not  changed  my  former 
religion  lightly,  or  to  please  men ;  in  such  a  case  I 
could  have  done  it  when  I  was  in  England,  where  I 
lived  seventeen  years. 

Q.  What,  then,  could  induce  you  to  take  that 
stepi 

A.  The  reading  of  the  Bible  convinced  me  of  the 
error  and  contradictions  of  the  Romish  doctrines. 

Here  the  presiding  Judge  imposed  silence  on  the 
prisoner. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  made  any  public  abjuration  1 ' 

A.  Yes,  sir;  as  soon  as  I  became  firmly  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  the  Evangelical  doctrine  I  abandoned 
the  church,  and  made  a  public  confession  of  faith  by 
partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
16 


182  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

Q.  Where  did  the  public  confession  take  place  ? 

A.  In  the  Swiss  chapel,  at  Florence,  when  the 
former  laws  of  our  country  gave  and  protected  re- 
ligious liberty. 

Q.  Have  you,  at  any  time,  called  the  Holy 
Apostles  men  of  hatred  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  that  accusation  is  totally  untrue.  I 
have  never  been  guilty  of  such  a  thing,  and  shall 
prove  the  contrary  by  the  words  of  St.  Luke,  chapter 
xxii,  from  verse  28th  to  31st.  But  the  Judge  inter- 
rupted Rosa  Madiai,  saying,  "  We  are  not  speaking 
about  religion  now."  The  defendant  replied,  "  As  I 
am  accused  of  religion,  I  am  to  answer  and  defend 
myself  on  that  subject." 

The  President,  with  a  stern  look,  bid  her  silence, 
for  the  second  time. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  said  that  the  Christian  reli- 
gion has  but  eight  commandments,  and  that  our 
creed  allows  fornication  ? 

The  prisoner  hereupon  rose  indignantly,  and 
said,  in  a  high  tone  of  voice,  that  as  her  only  reply 
to  that  infamous  charge,  she  should  be  allov>'ed  to 
say  the  Ten  Commandments,  in  order  that  they 
might  judge  whether  there  were  eight  or  ten. 

"  Silence !"  vras  answered  by  the  court ;  upon 
which,  being  angry,  the  defendant  replied,  "  that  it 
was  not  justice  to  impose  silence  on  one's  own  de- 
fence." 

The  Judge    appeared    somewhat  milder,   and 


ADDITIONAL      FACTS.  183 

asked  the  prisoner  if  she  and  her  husband  observed 
the  ten  Commandments  ? 

"  Certainly,"  she  answered,  "  as  God  dictated 
them  to  ^Moses  on  ^Mount  Sinai." 

Here  the  M'ord  "  silence  "  was  repeated,  and  the 
examination  of  Rosa  Madiai  was  closed  by  the 
Judge  saying  "  that  is  sufficient." 

The  small  audience,  composed  of  a  few  English 
gentlemen,  who  had  been  admitted  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Sir  Henry  Bulwer,  were  struck  with  the 
simplicity  and  sincerity  of  the  Madiai. 

On  the  following  day  the  witnesses  were  ex- 
amined. On  the  6th  of  June  Sig.  Maggiorani  an- 
nounced to  the  court  that  he  was  ready  for  the  de- 
fence, which  he  made  with  so  much  warmth  and 
feeling  as  to  draw  tears  even  from  the  eyes  of  the 
prosecuting  attorney. 

Pasquae  Casacci,  who  denied  everything,  was 
acquitted  of  the  criminal  charge,  but  was  detained 
to  answer  two  questions  against  him,  by  the  police, 
according  to  the  law  of  April,  1851. 

The  conduct  of  the  Madiai,  during  their  trial, 
did  them  the  greatest  honor,  and  awakened  the  ad- 
miration of  the  audience.  They  listened  to  the  sen- 
tence with  great  firmness  and  dignity.  Francesco 
was  in  perfect  peace,  and  received  the  final  blow  in 
a  spirit  of  holy  submission ;  and  the  only  expression 
of  suffering  was  squeezing  the  hand  of  a  friend  near 
by,  saying — "There  is  need  of  patience — and  the 


184  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

comfort,  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Spirit  never  changes 
with  me,  however  it  may  with  my  poor  body.  I 
am  always  happy.  God  has  been  with  me  all  the 
time  of  my  imprisonment,  and  He  will  always  be 
with  me  as  long  as  I  remain  in  prison,  and  I  am 
as  sure  He  will  be  with  me  unto  death." 


Conduct  of  the  Prisoners  after  the  Trial. 

Rosa  Madiai,  as  soon  as  she  returned  to  the  Bar. 
gello  prison,  knelt  and  prayed  for  some  time ;  after- 
wards she  wrote  the  following  letter  to  her  hus- 
band : — 

"My  dear  Madtai. — You  know  that  I  have  al- 
ways loved  you ;  but  how  much  more  ought  I  to 
love  you  now,  that  we  have  been  together  in  the 
battle  of  the  Great  King — that  we  have  been  beaten, 
but  not  vanquished.  I  hope  that,  through  the  merits 
of  Jesus  Christ,  God  our  Father  will  have  accepted 
our  testimony,  and  will  give  us  grace  to  drink,  to 
the  last  drop,  the  portion  of  that  bitter  cup  which  is 
prepared  for  us,  with  returning  of  thanks.  My  good 
Madiai,  life  is  only  a  day,  and  a  day  of  grief  Yes- 
terday we  were  young,  to-day  we  are  old.  Never- 
theless we  can  say  with  old  Simeon  :  "  Lord,  now  let- 
test  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  for  mine  eyes 
hath  seen  thy  salvation."  Courage,  my  dear,  since 
we  know  by  the  Holy  Spirit  that  this  Christ,  loaded 


CONDUCT      AFTER      THE      TRIAL.  185 

with  opprobrium,  trodden  do\\Ti  and  calumniated,  is 
our  Saviour ;  and  we,  by  his  holy  light  and  power, 
are  called  to  defend  the  holy  cross,  and  Christ  who 
died  for  us,  receiving  his  reproaches,  that  we  may  af- 
terwards participate  in  his  glory.  Do  not  fear  if 
the  punishment  be  hard.  God,  who  made  the  chains 
fall  from  Peter,  and  opened  the  doors  of  his  prison, 
will  never  forget  us.  Keep  in  good  spirits ;  let  us 
trust  entirely  in  God.  Let  me  see  you  cheerful,  as, 
I  trust,  by  the  same  grace  you  will  see  me  cheerful. 
I  embrace  you  with  my  whole  heart. 

"  Your  affectionate  wife, 

"Rosa  Madiai." 

Before  leaving  the  Bargello  for  his  final  impri 
sonment,  Francesco  Madiai  applied  to  be  allowed  to 
carry  with  him  a  supply  of  clean  linen,  clothes,  &c. 
But  this  was  not  permitted.  He  smiled,  saying, 
"  Well,  all  things  according  to  the  Avill  of  God."  He 
spoke  very  laudably  of  his  wife,  and  requested  a 
friend  to  tell  her,  "  that  his  prayer  was  that  God 
would  go  with  them  to  their  prisons,  and  tl:iit  he  felt 
sure  that  God  would  be  their  companion  there."  He 
was  not  allowed  to  see  his  wife,  but  was  conveyed  to 
his  goal  of  Volterra,  and  thrown  among  criminals. 
A  few  days  after  he  was  removed  from  the  common 
galleys,  and  put  into  cellulary  confinement. 

The  same  gentleman  who  had  visited  Francesco 
Madiai  while  in  the  city  prison,  went  to  see  his  wife, 
who,  hearing  of  the  sudden  departure  of  her  husband, 


186  STORY       OF      THE      MADIAI. 

became  much  oppressed  ;  and  her  mind  was  also 
tortured  by  the  idea,  that,  at  her  advanced  age,  hav. 
ing  always  lived  amongst  virtuous  and  religious  peo- 
ple, she  should  now  be  thrown  with  females  of  bad 
conduct.  At  the  same  moment,  and  almost  unex- 
pectedly, the  prison-keeper  brought  a  message  from 
the  police  that  Rosa  Madiai  should  be  taken  away 
from  the  Bargello  and  carried  to  the  prisons  of 
Lucca. 

At  this  dreadful  notice,  in  presence  of  all  the  at- 
tendants and  gendarmes,  she  burst  into  fervent  pray- 
er, asking  God  for  more  faith,  more  love  to  Jesus. 
Her  kind  lawyer,  Signor  Maggiorani,  promised  to 
go  to  Lucca  to  see  that  everything  that  could  be 
permitted  should  be  provided  for  her :  and  the  phy- 
sician, who  was  also  present,  said  that,  although  it 
was  unusual,  he  would  give  a  certificate  as  to  the 
state  of  her  health  requiring  diet  different  from  that 
of  the  common  prisoners,  as  absolutely  important 
to  her  life. 

Having  quickly  dressed  herself,  she  asked  for 
her  bonnet,  and  to  a  remark  made  by  one  of  the 
jailors,  why  she  did  not  comb  her  hair,  answered, 
"  For  what  use,  as  in  a  few  hours  they  will  cut  it  off." 
She  bid  farewell  to  all  those  assistants,  and  told  an 
English  gentleman,  in  whose  service  she  had  been, 
"  Remember  me  to  all  the  brethren,  and  tell  them, 
should  they  be  called  to  follow  us,  to  bear  what  may 
be  appointed  them  to  suffer,  but  never  to  forsake 


CONDUCT     AFTER      THE     TRIAL.         187 

their  God."  This  advice  was  addressed  to  the  nu- 
merous prisoners  who  were  yet  under  trial  in  the 
several  prisons  of  Florence,  accused  of  the  same 
crime  for  which  the  Madiai  had  been  condemned. 

A  special  order  of  the  Tuscan  government  pre- 
scribed that  the  jMadiai  should  be  entirely  de- 
prived of  all  religious  service  and  books  of  their 
faith,  nor  should  any  Protestant  clergyman  be  al- 
lowed to  visit  them — a  rule  which  is  not  even  ap- 
plied m  the  same  country  to  the  worst  criminals. 
They  were  soon  separated  from  all  the  prisoners, 
and  kept  in  a  private  and  solitary  cell — the  husband 
on  the  hills  of  Volterra,  and  the  wife  at  Lucca,  a  dis- 
tance of  fifty  miles.  When  they  are  allowed  to 
walk  about,  it  is  in  a  yard,  surrounded  by  walls 
from  which  you  see  nothing  but  the  sky. 

Dressed  after  the  manner  of  all  criminals,  for  the 
first  weeks  they  were  nourished  with  the  common 
and  unhealthy  victuals  of  the  prison,  and  it  was  but 
lately  that  they  were  allowed  to  receive  victuals  from 
without.  In  the  cell  of  Rosa  Madiai  can  be  seen  a 
laro;e  chain  hano-incr  to  the  wall,  as  a  threat  in  case 
she  should  rebel  against  the  prison  discipline. 

Not  long  after  her  arrival  at  her  new  prison-house 
in  Lucca,  Madame  Madia'  wrote  the  folio wmg  letter 
to  her  husband  at  Volterra : — 

"  The  new?  I  received  of  your  being  better,  gave 
me  great  pleasure,  and  many  were  the  tears  of  joy 
wliich  bathed  my  cheeks,  for  two  reasons — first,  be- 


188  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

cause  God  has  made  you  worthy  of  suffering  with 
His  beloved  Son — second,  because  He  restores  your 
health.  Oh,  if  we  knew  how  to  appieciate  these 
humiliations  that  we  suffer,  from  having  acknow- 
ledged  that  there  is  but  one  Mediator  between  God 
and  man!  My  dear,  you  say  that  we  expect  grace; 
but  allow  me  to  tell  you  that  we  have  already 
received  that  great  grace,  when,  after  being  separated 
by  force,  driven  from  our  dwelling,  and  our  property 
dispersed  as  dust  before  the  wind,  we  have  been  re- 
duced, you  see,  to  what  a  state ;  and  yet,  with  ail 
this,  we  would  not,  for  all  Pharaoh's  treasures,  as  also 
Moses  would  not,  lose  that  holy  gift  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  has,  through  His  grace,  made  us,  of  believing 
in  His  divine  Word.  This,  I  call  a  grace,  and  a  very 
great  one.  If  a  star  is  to  shine,  it  will  be  the  star  of 
justice.  We  have  done  no  harm  to  any  one ;  on  the 
contrary,  we  were  injured,  having  been  sold  for  a  few 
dollars.  Our  accusers  are  descendants  from  Judas. 
I  fear  for  their  souls.  I  pray  that  God  grant  them 
the  tears  of  Peter,  not  the  punishment  of  Judas,  and 
that  they  may  one  day  enjoy  the  eternal  happiness 
which  has  been  purchased.  Were  they  to  come  and 
ask  alms  from  me,  I  would  give  it  to  them  as  I  did 
formerly,  and  may  God  help  us !  Amen.  My  dear, 
let  us  be  ready  to  do  the  Father's  will,  as  His  Son, 
our  Master,  did  it.  Let  us  not  torment  ourselves. 
Peter  trembled  while  walking  on  the  ser,  fearing  the 
flowing  of  the  waters,  and  forgot  that  if  the  Saviour 


EFFECT     OF     THE     CONDEMNATION.    189 

walked  towards  him,  on  the  same  waters,  he  was  not 
to  fear;  he  feared  and  cried  out — 'Lord,  save  me!' 
The  beneficent  hand  helped  him,  saying,  'Man  of 
little  fliith,  why  fearest  thou  V  If  the  waves  of  this 
earth  cause  us  to  fear,  more  shame  for  us ;  let  us  re- 
member the  sacred  words :  '  Although  I  were  to 
walk  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  would 
fear  no  evil,  for  Thou  art  with  me.'  My  dear,  rest 
in  the  Lord  for  M^elfare  as  well  as  for  sufferinnrs. 
Every  thing  passes  away.  Eternity  is  the  most  essen- 
tial part.  Be  cheerful,  and  try  to  recover.  God 
bless  you,  and  cover  you  under  the  shade  of  His 
wings,  for  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
"  Your  affectionate  wife, 

"  Rosa  Madiai." 

The  Effect  of  tlic  Trial  and  Condemnation 
upon  the  Christian  Public. 

The  news  that  the  Madiai  had  been  condemned 
for  having  become  Protestants,  and  for  proselytism 
against  the  Papal  Church,  (for  it  amounted  to  that,) 
awoke  the  indignation  of  all  Protestant  countries, 
and  even  of  liberal  Roman  Catholics,  as  may  be  seen 
from  an  elaborate  article  which  appeared  in  the 
Journal  des  Debats  of  Paris.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
Swiss  Evangelical  Alliance,  held  in  Geneva,  Profes- 
sor Gaupen  was  deputed  to  write  to  the  Earl  of 
Shaftesbury,  as  President  of  the  "  Protestant  Alii- 


J90  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

ance  "  in  England,  and  request  the  British  Christians 
to  take  up  the  case.  This  led  to  the  holding  of  pub- 
lic meetings  of  sympathy  in  London  and  other  prin- 
cipal cities  on  the  British  Isles.  Similar  meethigs 
were  held  on  the  Continent.  The  Earls  of  Roden 
and  Cavan,  and  Captain  Trotter,  were  appointed 
members  of  a  Deputivtion  to  the  Grand  Duke  of 
Tuscany,  to  intercede  ui  behalf  of  these  persecuted 
people.  Deputies  were  also  appointed  on  the  Conti- 
nent, and  in  the  latter  part  of  October,  1852,  these 
gentlemen  were  on  their  way  to  Florence.  The 
Deputation  was  as  folloM^s : — • 

From  England. — Tlie  Earl  of  Roden,  Peer  of 
England ;  Lord  Cavan,  Peer  of  Ireland ;  and  Captain 
Trotter. 

Erance. — Count  Agenor  de  Gasparin,  Deputy  of 
Erance  under  Louis  Philippe ;  and  M.  De  Mimont, 
cx-Captam  of  Etat  the  Major. 

Germany. — Count  de  Bonin,  Captain  of  the  Roy- 
al Guards  of  his  Majesty  the  King  of  Prussia ;  and 
Count  Albert  de  Pourtales,  former  Minister  at  Con- 
stantinople. 

Holland. — Mr.  Elout  de  Soetherwoude,  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Royal  Court  of  Amsterdam. 

Switzerland. — Colonel  Tronchin  and  Count  de 
Saint  George. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  these  distinguished  men  at 
the  Tuscan  capital,  the  following  correspondence 
took  place. 


EFFECT     OF      THE     CONDEMNATION.    191 


"  Florence,  Oct.  24,  1852. 

To   His  Excellency  the  Duke   of  Casigliano, 

Secretary  of  Foreign  Affairs  of  Tuscany. 

"Sir — We  apply  to  your  Excellency  in  order 
that  you  may  beg  of  his  Imperial  Highness  to  grant 
us  an  audience.  We  wish  to  have  the  honor  of 
placing  before  him  the  expressions  of  sympathy  that 
Mr.  and  ^Irs.  J^Iadiai  have  obtained  in  every  Protes- 
tant community.  We  come  as  simple  delegates  of 
Evangelical  Christians  of  several  countries.  We  ac- 
kno\Yledge  that  as  such.,  we  have  no  right  to  implore 
the  favor  of  a  reception  from  his  Imperial  Highness; 
wo  consider  it  as  an  important  point  that  a  religious 
attempt  be  not  misunderstood  for  an  intervention, 
or,  as  we  would  term  it,  a  political  expression.  For 
this  purpose  we  come  without  the  mediation  of  any 
ministers  accredited  to  the  government  of  the  Grand 
Duchy,  hoping  that  our  demand  will  meet  with  a 
welcome  acceptance,  being  only  in  our  own  name. 

"  His  Imperial  Highness  will,  no  doubt,  appreciate 
the  sentiment  which  such  demeanor  inspires  us  with, 
as  well  as  that  which  induces  us  to  recommend, 
most  respectfully,  to  his  consideration,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Madiai. 

"Receive,  Duke,  the  assurance  of  our  most  pro- 
found esteem,  Roden,         A.  De  Gasparin, 
Cavan,         F.  De  !MiN0NT, 
Trotter." 


192  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 


Answer  of  tlie  Minister. 

"Florence,  October  25,  1852. 

"My  Lord, — ^I  have  placed  before  ray  sovereign 
the  letter  addressed  to  me  on  the  24th  inst.  by  sev- 
eral distinguished  persons,  among  whom  appears 
your  name.  His  Imperial  and  Royal  Highness  ap- 
preciates your  form  of  request,  as  he  certainly  would 
have  deprecated  any  political  expression,  and  the 
honorable  diplomatic  agents  residing  near  this  court 
would  doubtless  have  reprobated  such  a  course. 

"  The  two  mentioned  Madiai,  husband  and  wife, 
Tuscan  subjects,  have  been  condemned  by  the  ordi- 
nary tribunals  to  five  years  imprisonment,  for  the 
crime  of  Protestant  propaganda,  which  is  punished 
by  our  laws,  as  it  attacks  the  religion  of  the  State. 
The  punishment  inflicted  on  them  is  merely  the  ap- 
plication of  those  same  laws,  and  their  appeal  has 
been  rejected. 

"  His  Imperial  and  Royal  Highness,  reserving  to 
himself  the  power  of  exercising  his  high  privilege  in 
the  manner  he  considers  most  convenient,  could  not 
allow  the  intervention  of  any  one  whatsoever  in  an 
affair  which  concerns  the  administration  of  justice  in 
our  States,  and  his  manner  of  proceeding  towards 
liis  own  subjects.  My  royal  sovereign,  aware  of  the 
benevolent  sentiments  with  which  you  are  inspired 


EFFECT     OF     THE     CONDEMNATION.       193 

in  taking  this  step,  but  not  considering  that  he  must 
allow  an  intervention  of  any  kind  in  this  transaction, 
directs  me  to  inform  you,  my  lord,  that  he  is  sorry 
not  to  be  able  to  grant  the  audience  implored  by 
yourself  and  the  others  who  have  signed  the  letter 
addressed  to  me. 

"Receive,  my  lord,  and  communicate  to  those 
gentlemen,  the  assurance  of  my  very  profound  es- 
teem. The  Duke  of  Cassigliano." 

"To  the  right  Honorable,  the  Earl  of  Roden, 
Peer  of  England,  at  Florence." 

As  soon  as  the  deputation,  who  were  in  perma- 
nent sitting,  had  received  this  answer,  they  agreed  to 
write  an  address  to  the  Grand  Duke,  and  sent  it,  as 
is  customary,  enclosed  in  the  following  letter  to  the 
Minister  of  Foreign  AfHiirs : — 

"  To  His  Excellency  the  Duke  of  Casigliano, 
Secretary  of  Foreign  Affairs  of  Tuscany," 

Sir, — "We  have  received  the  letter  by  which 
your  Excellency  does  us  the  honor  of  informing  us 
that  His  Imperial  Highness  has  appreciated  the  form 
given  to  our  request,  and  does  not,  however,  think 
of  granting  us  the  implored  audience,  but  reserves 
to  himself  the  use  of  his  high  privilege  in  the  way 
which  he  will  consider  most  convenient. 

"  All  that  remains  for  us  to  do  now  is  to  perform 
our  mission  as  well  as  we  can,  by  conveying  to  your 
Excellency   the    expressions   of   those    sentiments 


194  STORY     OF     THS     MADIAI. 

which  we  had  been  charged  with  presenting  to  His 
Imperial  Highness,  and  had  placed  in  the  enclosed 
address. 

"We  hope  that  if  His  Imperial  Highness  will 
vouchsafe  to  read  them,  he  will  perceive  nothing  but 
what  is  becoming  to  the  religious  character  of  our 
peaceful  intervention,  and  the  profound  respect  that 
abides  within  us. 

"  Please,  accept  Duke,  this  new  testimony  of  our 
very  profound  esteem. 

KODEN,  A.  De  GaspariNj 

Cavan,  a.  De  Bonin, 

Trotter,  De  Mimont." 

"P.  S. — In  order  not  to  make  your  excellency 
wait  for  the  answer  which  is  due  to  you  by  us,  we 
sign  this  letter  before  the  arrival  of  the  other  depu- 
ties, who  are  already  on  their  way  to  Florence,  and 
whom  we  consider  as  here  present,  aware  of  our  de- 
mand. They  are  Albert  de  Pourtales,  from  Berlin; 
Colonel  Tronchin;  the  Count  of  St.  George,  from 
Geneva ;  and  the  Counsellor  Elout  de  Soetherwoude, 
from  Amsterdam." 


ADDRESS. 


"  Imperial  and  royal  Highness. — Your  Impe 
rial  and  Royal  Highness  knows  with  what  views  we 


EFFECTS      OF     THE     CONDEMNATION.     195 

have  the  honor  of  appearing  before  you.  We  not 
only  abstained  from  having  recourse  to  a  diplomatic 
intervention,  which  would  have  compromised  the 
exclusively  religious  character  of  our  mission,  but 
we  openly  show,  from  this  very  moment,  the  wish 
that  this  mission  may  never  henceforth  serve  as  a 
pretext  to  any  political  action. 

"  We  are  but  simple  Christians,  and  representa- 
tives of  millions  of  other  Christians,  who  use  no 
other  arms  than  prayer,  no  other  strength  than  that 
of  their  Divine  Master.  Our  embassy  is  quite  of  a 
new  kind,  and  we  believe  is  to  be  considered  as  a 
testimonial  of  respect  which  is  shown  to  the  Prince 
to  whom  it  is  addressed. 

"  Our  brethren  have  said  to  us : — Go,  not  in  the 
name  of  this  or  of  that  Protestant  power,  but  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  go  and  acquaint  the  sove- 
reign of  Tuscany  with  the  expression  of  profound 
sympathy  excited  by  the  condition  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Madiai ;  we  hope  that  such  general  sympathy  will 
be  taken  into  consideration  by  your  Imperial  and 
Royal  Highness. 

"  We  will  not  attempt,  your  Highness,  to  judge 
about  the  convenience  of  the  law,  nor  its  application. 
It  is  certainly  not  our  business  to  meddle  with  the 
legislation  or  administration  of  justice  in  your 
States.  We  only  feel  the  want  of  adding  a  word  of 
justification  to  our  steps,  which  is,  that  we  never  re- 
fuse to  those  contrary  to  our  faith,  what  we  wish  in 


196  STORT      OF     THE     MADIA  I. 

favor  of  our  Protestant  brethren.  The  Roman  Cath- 
olic is  free  in  the  countries  which  we  rJjpresent. 
Your  Imperial  and  Royal  Highness  understands  the 
meaning  of  these  words.  How  could  we  ever  have 
dared  to  address  you  this  petition  in  favor  of  our 
brethren,  the  Madiai,  if  we  knew  not  how  to  accept 
the  condition  of  granting  freedom  to  Roman  Catho- 
lics 1  We  should  have  omitted  the  profound  respect 
due  to  your  Imperial  and  Royal  Highness  had  wc 
hesitated  in  speaking  thus. 

"  Respect  is  not  only  on  our  lips,  but  we  feel  it 
in  us.  The  Evangelical  Christians  who  have  sent  us 
hither,  have  all  learned,  from  a  study  of  holy  books 
to  respect  constituted  powers,  and  their  prayers  for 
your  Imperial  and  Royal  Highness  have  joined  to 
those  which  are  now  offered  in  all  parts  of  Europe 
and  America  for  our  brethren  Madiai. 

"  We  sincerely  hope,  your  Highness,  that  your 
answer  will  be  such  as  to  afford  full  consolation  to 
those  who  sent  us. 

"  RODEN,         GaSPARAN, 
A.  DE  BONIN,    CaVAX, 

De  Mamont,  Trotter." 
Tlius  terminated  the  efforts  of  the  Deputation, 
so  far  as  the  Tuscan  Government  was  concerned. 
Soon  afterwards  they  left  Florence  for  their  respec- 
tive countries,  to  make  report  to  those  who  had 
sent  them.  It  would  seem  that  they  left  Italy  with 
the  hope  that  the  prisoners  would,  after  a  few  weeks 


THE  DEPUTATION  AND  CONVERTS.   107 

or  months,  be  released,  through  the  grace  of  the 
Grand  Duke — a  hope  which  has  been  utterly  dis- 
appointed. 


Correspondence  between  the  Deputation  and  the 
Converts  in  Tuscany. 

Before  the  Deputation  left  Florence  they  re- 
ceived the  following  interesting  letter  from  a  com- 
mittee (whose  names  must  remain  unknown  to  the 
world)  of  the  Converts  from  Popery  in  that  city  and 
its  vicinity,  and  made  a  suitable  reply : — 

"  To  the  Christian  Brethren  forming  the  various  Deputations  sent  to 
appeal  in  favor  of  Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai,  held  Prisoners  in 
Tuscany  for  the  cause  of  the  Gospel. 

"  Beloved  brethren  in  the  Lord^ — The  evangelical 
Christians  in  Tuscany,  greatly  moved  by  the  earnest 
proof  of  Christian  love  shown  to  them  by  many 
brethren  of  various  countries  and  languages,  but 
united  to  them  in  one  common  bond  of  faith,  desire 
to  express  their  thankfulness  and  gratitude  for  the 
love  that  has  led  you,  unsolicited  by  them,  to  come 
hither  for  the  sole  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  alleviate 
the  sufferings  of  our  brother  and  sister,  Francesco 
and  Rosa  Madiai,  now  enduring  hard  bondage  for 
reading  the  Word  of  Life,  and  for  the  open  and  free 
confession  of  that  truth,  believed  and  held  by  them 
with  that  constancy  and  steadfastness  alone  worthy 


198  STORY      OF     THE      MA  DIAL 

of  those  who,  like  faithful  sheep,  know  the  voice  of 
the  '  true  Shepherd '  that  died  to  save  them,  and 
'  follow  him  whithersoever  He  goeth ;'  but  for 
which  steadfastness  they  are  now  accused  of  impiety. 
"We  believe  it  unnecessary  to  recapitulate  the 
painful  history  of  their  long  and  severe  sufferings, 
inasmuch  as  you  are  already  well-informed  of  all 
that  has  happened  to  us,  and  have  with  so  much 
love  watched  all  the  trials  we  have  been  subject  to 
within  the  last  few  years.  You  have  heard,  that 
having  been  bred  up  and  instructed  to  assume  at 
least  the  outward  garb  of  religion,  even  if  accom- 
panied by  a  fatal  and  passive  indifference,  provided 
we  did  not  openly  question  the  customs  and  tra- 
ditions imposed  upon  us ;  many  of  us  became  either 
solely  wrapped  up  in  the  political  vicissitudes  of  our 
unhappy  country,  or,  '  ignorant  of  God^s  righteous- 
ness,' went  about  '  to  establish  our  own  righteous- 
ness, not  submitting  ourselves  unto  the  righteousness 
of  God.'  Romans,  x.  3.  In  this  fatal  delusion  we 
must  have  remained,  had  we  not  had  free  access  to 
the  unadulterated  Word  of  God,  '  able  to  make  us 
wise  unto  salvation.'  It  is  through  His  mercy  and 
grace  alone  that  we  now  abide  faithful  unto  that 
Word,  notwithstanding  the  many  trials  daily  re- 
newed against  us  by  our  rulers.  For  these,  indeed, 
we  continually  pray,  knowing  the  many  difficulties 
and  obstacles  they  have  to  contend  with  from  those 
who  are  the  worst  enemies  to  the  diffusion  of  God's 


THE  DEPUTATION  AND  CONVERTS.   199 

Word,  and  whose  influence  our  rulers  have  sought 
to  enlist,  by  concessions  in  their  flxvor,  and  by 
severity  against  those  who  have  separated  them- 
selves, under  the  idea  that  to  uphold  the  predomi- 
nant religion  of  the  State  is  the  best  guarantee  for 
the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  country. 

"  We  are  truly  sorry  that  at  this  time,  especially, 
we  cannot  personally  render  you  an  open  testimony 
of  our  gratitude  and  love  for  the  singular  proof  you 
have  given  us  of  your  sympathy  with  our  suffering 
brethren ;  but  you  are  well  aware  that  we  are  not 
permitted  now  even  to  meet  together  for  mutual  ed- 
ification, and  that  we  are  obliged  to  abstain  from 
assembling  ourselves  together,  even  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  worshipping  God,  through  fear  of  either  im- 
prisonment or  exile,  and  the  consequent  distress  of 
our  families.  We  are  thus  in  difficulty  between  the 
laws  of  our  country  and  the  express  laws  of  our 
God.  Heb.  x.  25.  We  would  gladly  forego  many 
of  the  rights  of  citizens,  or  willingly  bear  any  other 
burthen,  if  in  exchange  we  could  meet  in  the  name 
of  our  Lord. 

"  But  though  we  cannot  openly  and  collectively 
offer  you  the  expression  of  our  gratitude  for  the  sym- 
pathy which  you  have  so  manifested  towards  us  in 
our  trials  and  sufferings,  we  cannot  be  hindered  from 
offering  up  our  prayers  to  the  '  Father  of  Mercies  ' 
and  '  God  of  all  Grace,'  that  He  may  crown  your 
mission  with  success,  and  may  grant  us  better  days, 


200  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

when  we  may  '  worship  God  in  quietness,  none 
daring  to  make  us  afraid.' 

"If,  however,  it  must  needs  be  that  we  should  yet 
suffer  for  the  truth,  we  commit  ourselves  in  confi- 
dence to  our  Father  in  Heaven,  who  will  not  permit 
us  to  be  tried  above  what  we  are  able  to  bear,  and 
who  has  graciously  assured  His  people  that  '  as 
their  days  are,  so  shall  their  strength  be.'  Deut. 
xxxiii.  25.  And  we  abide  the  issue  of  these  trials 
with  the  calm  assurance  that  He  who  permits  them, 
will  overrule  them  for  His  own  glory,  and  for  our 
good ;  and  that  the  things  that  befall  us  shall  turn 
out,  as  in  the  early  days  of  His  Church,  rather  to 
the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel. 

"  One  other  matter  we  cannot  pass  by.  We  have 
been  accused  of  making  a  profession  of  the  Gospel 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  undermine 
the  present  political  state  of  the  country  ;  but  your 
deputation,  coming  from  so  many  friendly  States,  is 
a  clear  and  undeniable  proof  that  we  have  not  been 
actuated  by  political  motives  in  searching,  as  we 
have  done,  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 

*'  We  entreat  you,  that  when  you  return  again  to 
your  native  lands  you  will  convey  to  our  brethren 
who  sent  you  the  expression  of  our  deepest  grati- 
tude; and  tell  them  that  we  feel  encouraged  and 
sustained  by  their  sympathy,  and  that  the  moral 
support  of  all  the  evangelical  Christians  of  Europe  is 
of  the  greatest  value  and  consequence  to  God's  peo- 


THE     DEPUTATION     AND     CONVERTS.      201 

pie  in  this  land,  who  desire  to  know  for  themselves 
the  Word  of  Eternal  Life.  Above  all  things,  re- 
quest them  to  imite  their  prayers  with  ours,  that  the 
Lord  may  uphold  us  in  all  our  need,  and  prepare  U9 
for  all  that  lie  has  prepared  for  us ;  and  that  His 
AYord  may  have  free  course  in  this  land  and  be  glo- 
rified. Finally,  that  in  all  that  concerns  us.  His  will, 
and  not  ours,  may  be  done.  Our  trust  is  in  Him 
from  whom  our  strength  cometh,  and  whose  grace  is 
sufficient  for  us ;  and  for  the  joy  set  before  us  we 
gladly  endure  the  passing  afflictions  of  the  present 
time,  knowing  that  '  He  who  hath  loved  us  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood '  shall 
guide  us  at  last  '  to  the  rest  that  remaineth,'  when 
'  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall 
feed  us,  and  shall  lead  us  to  the  living  fountains  of 
water,  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  our 
eyes.' 

'•  May  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who 
hath  abolished  death,  and  hath  brought  life  and  im- 
mortality to  light  through  the  Gospel,  strengthen, 
comfort,  and  bless  you  above  all  that  you  can  ask 
or  think  ;  and  to  His  name  be  all  the  praise." 

"  Florence,  October  2yth,  1852." 


Reply  of  the  Deputation  to  the  Address  of  the  Evangelical  Christians 
in  Tuscany. 

^''Beloved  Brethren  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — • 
Though  we  entertained  no  doubt  of  the  warm  sym 


202  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

pathy  you  would  feel  for  us  while  exerting  ourselves 
in  favor  of  a  suffering  brother  and  sister  of  your  owii 
body,  yet  we  must  assure  you  of  the  joy  that  has 
filled  our  hearts  at  the  address  we  have  just  received. 
This  joy  is  increased,  not  only  by  the  Christian  cha- 
racter of  the  sentiments  therein  contained,  but  by  our 
knowledge  that  it  emanates  from  a  body  so  nume- 
rous that  it  makes  us  lift  up  our  hearts  to  the  Lord 
with  thankfulness  for  the  fact,  that  even  in  this  land, 
where  darkness  so  long  prevailed.  He  has  been  ad- 
ding daily  to  the  church  those  that  should  be  saved. 
Acts,  ii.  47. 

"  As  our  0V4T1  mission  has  been  throughout  free  of 
every  worldly  or  political  object,  we  have  the  less 
scruple  in  exhorting  you  to  continue  in  the  same 
course.  We  know  that  the  more  truly  you  are 
evangelical  Christians,  the  better  subjects  you  will 
be ;  mindful  of  that  Scripture,  that,  '  Whosoever 
resisteth  the  power  resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God.* 
Rom.  xiii.  2.  '  Let  not  then  your  good  be  evil 
spoken  of  Rom.  xiv.  16.  This  counsel  we  would 
tender  to  you,  in  all  simplicity  ;  ever  mindful,  how- 
ever, of  that  last  appeal  to  be  made  to  all  rulers  in 
extreme  cases.  '  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of 
God  to  hearken  unto  you,  more  than  unto  God, 
judge  ye '  Acts,  xiv.  10.  followed  as  it  must  be, 
in  manners  of  conscience,  by  the  reply.  '  We  ought 
to  obey  God  rather  than  men.'    Acts,  v.  29. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  suggest  to  you  that  we  must 


THE    DEPUTATION    AND    CONVERTS.     203 

all  be  prepared  with  patience  to  endure  suffering  for 
conscience  sake.  For  us^to  hear  of  your  sufferings 
is  grievous ;  for  you,  it  is  even  '  thankworthy  ;  if  a 
man  for  conscience  sake  towards  God,  endure  grief, 
suffering  wrongfully,'  1  Pet.  ii.  19.  for  (must  glo- 
rious of  consequences!)  'if,  when  ye  do  well  and 
suffer  for  it,  ye  take  it  patiently,  this  is  accepta- 
ble with  God.'  1  Pet.  ii.  20.  The  remedy  is  in 
God's  hand.  He  has  already  filled  the  hearts  of 
those  who  have  not  been  'counted  worthy  to  suffer,' 
with  sympathy  for  those  who  have ;  and  if  ye  only 
pursue  your  present  course*  of  submission  to  His 
will,  and  to  those  appointed  under  Him — of  love  for 
the  truth,  strengthened  rather  than  weakened  by 
persecution;  and  of  close  union,  as  brethren  and  fel- 
low-suflerers  for  Christ's  sake — ye  must  not  doubt  of 
that  help  from  the  Lord,  who  has  promised  to  listen 
to  the  prayers  of  them  that  ask  Him. 

"  We  know  that  if  a  man's  ways  please  the  Lord, 
*  He  maketh  even  his  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with 
him.'     Prov.  xvi.  7. 

"Already  the  prayers  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
Protestant  Christians  are  raised  to  Him,  not  only  in 
favor  of  the  Madiai,  whose  sufferings  are  known,  but 
for  the  unknown  multitude  who,  like  you,  are  hinder- 
ed  in  their  course  by  those  who  love  not  the  light. 

"  That  these  acts  will  strengthen  and  not  weaken 
your  faith,  we  are  confirmed  in  believing;  while  we 
witness  in  your  ardor  of  love  for  the  Saviour,  little 


204  STORY      05      THE      MADIAI. 

dreamed  of  by  many  who  have  free  liberty  to  con- 
fess Him,  and  to  call  upon  Him,  to  feast  on  His 
words  of  comfort,  and  to  join  in  the  pure  worship  of 
Him  as  the  sole  Mediator  between  God  and  man. 
Thus,  then,  must  we  continue,  in  hope,  in  faith,  in 
love,  to  offer  up  this  prayer  for  you — '  The  God  of 
all  grace,  who  has  called  us  unto  His  eternal  glory 
by  Christ  Jesus,  after  that  ye  have  suffered  awhile, 
make  you  perfect,  stablish,  strengthen,  settle  you.' " 
1  Pet.  V.  10. 


Lord  Roden's  Visit  to  the  imprisoned  Madiai, 

Before  leaving  Tuscany,  the  Earl  of  Roden  re- 
quested permission  of  the  Tuscan  Government  to 
visit  the  Madiai  in  their  prisons.  The  following  are 
the  "  notes  "  which  he  made  of  those  visits.  They 
cannot  be  read  by  any  Christian  without  deep 
emotion. 

Note  of  my  Conversation  with  Francesco  Madiai  in  the 
prison  at  Volterra,  3rd  November,  1852. 

"  Having  arrived  here  last  night,  T  proceeded  at 
ten  o'clock  this  morning  to  the  great  prison,  allotted 
to  persons  convicted  of  the  worst  crimes ;  containing 
within  its  walls  at  the  present  time  above  500  crimi- 
nals. This  most  imposing  building  is  situated  on 
the  summit  of  the  heights  of  Volterra,  1,800  feet 


LOUD    roden's    visit.  205 

above  the  level  of  the  sea.  I  waited  on  the  direttore, 
■who  received  me  with  civility.  I  presented  to  him 
my  passport,  that  he  might  identify  me  as  the  person 
whom  he  had  received  orders  from  the  Government 
to  admit  to  visit  the  prisoner,  Francesco  Madiai. 
He  introduced  me  to  the  sub-direttore,  desiring  him 
to  conduct  me  to  Madiai's  room.  We  passed  through 
a  very  long  corridor,  with  cells  on  either  side,  and 
reached  the  door  of  the  infirmary,  where  Francesco 
was  confined.  I  was  shown  into  a  small  room, 
where  the  -svindow  was  on  a  level  with  the  table, 
and  there  was  air  and  light  in  abundance.  Francesco 
rose  from  his  chair  when  the  sub-direttore  told  him 
who  I  was ;  he  then  shut  the  door  and  retired,  so  that 
I  had  full  opportunity  to  converse  with  the  prisoner 
alone.  In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  sub-diret- 
tore returned  with  the  doctor.  I  thanked  them  both 
for  their  kindness  to  Francesco,  particularly  the  lat- 
ter ;  and  I  told  Madiai,  in  their  hearing,  that  I  was 
at  the  head  of  a  deputation  which  had  come  from 
England,  France,  Germany,  Switzerland  and  Hol- 
land, to  implore  the  Grand  Duke's  clemency  towards 
him  and  his  wife ;  that,  in  so  doing,  we  were  not  only 
influenced  by  compassion  for  them,  and  the  deepest 
sympathy  for  their  sufferings,  but  that  our  special 
object  was  to  endorse  the  principle  which  they  had 
maintained,  and  for  which  they  were  now  suflering, 
namely,  that  every  individual  in  the  world  had  a 
right  to  read  the  Word  of  God  without  note  or  com- 


200  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

ment;  and  that  tha:  principle  was  near  and  dear  to 
our  hearts  as  Christians.  Neither  the  sub-direttore 
nor  the  doctor  made  any  remark  to  this ;  but  the 
latter  said,  that  Francesco's  health  had  improved, 
that  all  fever  had  left  him,  though  there  was  still 
much  weakness.  I  then  told  Francesco  that  I  had 
visited  him  and  his  wife  at  the  request  of  my  brother 
deputies,  who,  together  with  all  who  loved  and 
valued  the  Word  of  God,  were  warmly  attached  to 
them  both,  and  were  thankful  to  God  for  the  confes- 
sion which  they  had  been  enabled  to  make,  and  for 
the  support  which  He  had  given  them  under  their 
heavy  trials,  during  fifteen  months'  incarceration, 
several  months  of  which  I  was  aware  had  been  spent 
in  the  Bargello^  the  common  prison  of  Florence, 
where  the  treatment  of  them  had  beCL  aiost  cruel — 
indeed,  barbarous. 

"  The  sub-direttore  and  doctor  having  retired,  he 
spoke  much  to  me  of  the  state  of  his  health,  saying 
he  was  better ;  but  in  his  weak  and  reduced  frame 
I  could  too  plainly  see  the  effects  of  all  through 
which  he  had  passed,  and,  although  comparatively 
better,  I  have  no  doubt  that  a  much  longer  confine- 
ment must  terminate  in  his  death.  He  talked  of  the 
comfort  which  he  had  in  the  Scriptures ;  he  found  the 
testimony  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  them  his  great  sup- 
port ;  he  cared  little  for  other  books  in  comparison 
with  the  Word  of  God ;  he  was  allowed  the  Roman 
Catholic  Bible  by  Martini,  with  notes. 


LORD    roden's    visit.  207 

*'  I  told  him  that  his  wife,  whom  I  had  seen  two 
days  before,  requested  me  to  tell  him  that  she  was 
well.  He  was  looking  forward  with  great  hope  to 
his  speedy  liberation,  and  seemed  much  disappointed 
at  the  failure  of  our  application.  I  said  that  the 
King  of  Prussia  had  taken  a  special  interest  in  their 
ease,  and  had  sent  a  nobleman  from  Berlin,  Count 
Arnim,  to  plead  their  cause  before  the  Grand  Duke. 
His  eyes  then  filled  with  tears,  and  he  exclaimed, 
'  How  can  I  ever  be  grateful  enough  to  God  for  His 
mercies  to  me !'  He  spoke  of  his  own  nothingness, 
and  that  therefore  it  could  only  have  been  God  who 
had  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  kings  and  nobles,  and  of 
Christians  of  distant  countries,  to  be  so  interested  in 
their  behalf.  He  added,  that  he  felt  that  he  was  in 
God's  hands,  and  that  he  would  do  with  him  as  He 
pleased. 

"  I  found  in  Francesco  Madiai  a  simple-minded 
Christian,  greatly  depressed  and  worn  down  by 
severe  suffering,  mental  and  bodily.  He  made  no 
complaints,  and  spoke  with  the  greatest  respect  of 
the  Grand  Duke,  his  sovereign,  to  whom,  I  had  pre- 
viously heard,  he  had  been  always  a  most  attached 
and  loyal  subject.  He  evidently  would  have  entered 
more  at  length  into  the  particulars  of  his  case,  but  I 
told  him  that  I  already  knew  them.  When  I  asked 
him  if  I  could  do  anything  for  him,  he  said,  '  Nothing 
but  to  pray  for  him.'  I  then  offered  up  a  short 
prayer  with  him  for  the  contmuance  of  God's  favor 


208  STORY     OF     THE      MADIAI. 

and  support  towards  him  and  his  wife,  and  bade  him 
farewell  with  feelings  kindred  to  those  with  which  I 
had  taken  leave  of  his  poor  wife." 

"RODEN." 

We  subjoin  to  the  Earl  of  Roden's  "  Notes,"  an 
extract  of  a  letter  from  a  Christian  friend  in  Florence, 
dated  some  weeks  after  the  Deputation  had  left,  to 
show  that  the  Government  of  Tuscany  has  increased 
the  rigor  of  its  course. 

"  You  are  aware  of  the  two  new  decrees,  the  first 
of  which  re-establishes  the  pain  of  death  for  crimes 
of  public  violence  against  the  government  and  against 
religion ;  and  the  second  authorizes  the  police  to 
search  and  imprison,  without  judgment  or  sentence 
from  the  ordinary  tribunals.  These  decrees  were 
published  on  the  17th  November,  and  on  the  18th, 
at  five  o'clock  A.  M.  Angiolo  Guarducci  was  arrest- 
ed, he  being  still  in  bed,  his  lodgings  searched,  and 
himself  taken  to  the  Murate,  where  he  has  been  for 
the  last  fortnight. 

"We  have  passed  many  a  happy  hour  during  the 
presence  in  our  city  of  so  many  dear  brethren  from 
several  cities ;  but  the  sun  which  shone  for  a  short 
time  was  soon  overclouded.  Lord  Roden  went  to  see 
Rosa  Madiai  on  the  31st  Oct.  and  Francesco  on  the 
8d  of  November.    Their  faithful  and  alway  devoted 

friend  Mr.  C ,  saw  Francesco  on  the  6th ;  but  some 

days  after,  hearing  that  he  was  conlined  to  his  bed, 
and  wishing  to  see  him,  this  consolation  was  refused 


LORD    roden's    visit.  209 

him.  Recent  and  severe  orders  only  allowed  one 
visit  a  month.  Sir  H.  Bulwer's  interference,  to 
mitigate  this  order,  was  useless.     We  are  aware 

that  since  Mr.  C left,  Madiai's  physical  weakness 

has  been  very  great.  For  several  days  he  refused 
his  medicines,  and  even  his  coffee  and  milk,  through 
fear  of  being  poisoned.  On  Saturday  this  gentleman 
returned  to  Volterra  to  see  the  prisoner — the  time 
prefixed  since  his  last  visit  being  expired." 

18* 


210  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER  I. 


A  Notice  of  a  Meeting  in  IMetropolitan  Hall.  Statement  of 
Facts. — Resolutions  adopted. — Declaration  of  Principles. 
— Dr.  Bethune's  Address. — Popish  opposition. — Meet- 
ing in  Newark. — INIeeting  in  Baltimore. — Resolutions  of 
New- York  Legislature. — Resolutions  oflf  United  States 
Senate. — Mr.  Everett's  Letter. 

Americans  had  watched  the  movements  of  the 
Papal  Powers  in  Europe,  and  with  grief  had  seen 
the  recently  brightened  prospects  of  the  friends  of 
freedom,  and  of  Evangelical  Religion  there,  rapidly 
receding  from  them,  and  Popery  with  primitive 
energy,  seeking  to  re-establish  itself,  to  regain  and  to 
hold  its  former  dominion,  by  the  most  unjustifiable 
and  cruel  measures.  Fines,  imprisonment,  banish- 
ment, confiscation  of  goods,  and  death,  were  com- 
mon inflictions  on  those  who  did  not  conform  to  all 
its  requsitions.  The  Madiai  fell  under  its  displea- 
sure, but  they  were  not  alone.  There  were  many 
cases  very  similar,  which  were  known  to  the  people 
of  this  country ;  but  by  the  directions  of  an  over- 
ruling Providence  the  Madiai  were  made  to  hold 
a  prominent  place  in  the  public  view. 

Previously  there  had  been  no  little  conversation 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  211 

in  social  circles  in  regard  to  them,  and  an  occasional 
paragraph  in  Newspapers  concerning  them  had  also 
appeared.  But  in  the  Autumn  of  1852  a  crisis 
seemed  forming.  Large  numbers  of  all  classes  who 
had  been  interested  in  them,  and  in  their  associates 
in  suffering  in  Tuscany  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  be- 
gan to  talk  of  some  public  expression  of  American 
Sentiments  npon  the  subject.  The  feeling  of  sym- 
pathy fur  the  sutlerers  grew  daily  in  intensity ;  and 
m  the  month  of  December  the  public  mind  was 
ripe  for  the  expression  of  its  deep  and  sacred  emo- 
tions, its  utter  abhorrence  of  intolerance  and  perse- 
cution on  account  of  religious  faith  and  practice. 

At  the  suggestion  of  a  joint  committee  from  the 
American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union,  and  The 
Evangelical  x\lliance,  who  were  ajipointed  to  make 
arrangements  for  a  public  meeting  of  the  "  friends 
of  religious  liberty,"  without  regard  to  sect  or  party, 
the  following  call,  signed  by  thirty  men  of  the  first 
respectability  in  the  city  of  New-York,  was  publish- 
ed in  several  of  the  leading  Secular  and  Religious 
Newspapers,  viz. 

'•  The  undersigned  would  respectfully  suggest  the 
propriety  of  convening  a  public  meeting,  to  be  held 
at  Metropolitan  Hall  on  Friday  evening,  January 
7th,  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  the  sympathy  of 
the  Christian  community,  and  of  the  friends  of  re- 
ligious liberty,  with  the  '  Madiai'  family  and  others, 
imprisoned  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Tuscany  for  pos- 


212  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

sessing  and  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  to  con- 
sider what  measures  may  properly  be  taken  for  the 
relief  of  their  present  sufferings,  and  for  their  release 
from  imprisonment." 

In  accordance  with  this  Call,  on  Friday  evening 
January  7th,  1853,  an  immense  concourse  of  people 
assembled  at  the  Metropolitan  Hall.  The  Honora- 
ble Jacob  A.  Westervelt,  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  pre- 
sided, and  was  supported  by  a  large  number  of  Vice- 
Presidents,  lay  and  clerical. 

The  meeting  having  been  organized,  by  reading 
the  "  Call,"  and  the  choice  of  its  officers,  was  opened 
with  prayer  by  the  Eev.  Thomas  De  Witt,  D.  D. 
The  Rev.  Robert  Baird,  D.  D.  then  submitted  a 
brief  statement,  comprising  the  leading  political 
events  in  Tuscany  during  a  few  past  years — the  re- 
ligious condition  of  the  people — facts  concerning  the 
Madiai, — their  social  relations,  conversion  to  Chris- 
tianity, quiet  and  exemplary  lives,  arrest,  trial,  con- 
demnation and  imprisonment, — and  the  efforts  which 
had  been  made  in  Europe,  but  in  vain,  for  their  release. 

In  behalf  of  the  committee  of  arrangements  for 
the  meeting,  the  Rev.  W.  Patton,  D.  D.  then  sub- 
mitted the  following  resolutions,  which  were  received 
by  the  audience  with  great  favor,  viz. 

RESOLUTIONS. 

*'  Whereas  this  meeting  has  learned,  with  profound 
sorrow,  that  Sig.  Madiai  and  his  wife,  together  with 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  213 

Other  worthy  persons  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Tus- 
cany, liave  been  torn  from  their  homes  and  thrown 
into  prison,  subject  to  coercive  discipline,  or  other- 
wise persecuted,  for  possessing  and  reading  the 
Bible ;  and  whereas  it  is  believed  that  general  mani- 
festations of  public  opinion  have  been  found  in  all 
civilized  countries  to  exert  a  happy  influence  npon 
governments  as  well  as  upon  those  who  sufler : 

"  Resolved^  1.  That  this  meeting  would  express  its 
deep  sympathy  for  these  sufierers  for  conscience  sake 
in  their  severe  trials,  and  offer  its  prayers  to  Heaven 
that  they  may  be  sustained  by  God's  grace  under 
them,  and  that  these  persecutions  may  have  a  speedy 
termination. 

"  Resolved.  2.  That  his  Excellency,  the  President 
of  the  United  States  be,  and  hereby  is,  requested  to 
exert  his  kindly  influence  in  such  manner  as  he  may 
deem  most  judicious  and  most  compatible  with  the 
duties  of  his  official  position,  in  behalf  of  these  peo- 
ple, in  the  hope  that  the  Government  of  Tuscany,  in 
compliance  with  a  respectful  expression  of  the  per- 
sonal wishes  of  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  a  nation 
which  welcomes  all  who  come  to  its  shores,  what- 
ever may  be  their  creed,  and  gives  them  equal  and 
complete  religious  liberty,  may  at  least  allow  Signor 
Madiai  and  his  wife  to  quit  their  prisons,  and  emi- 
grate, if  so  dir^posed,  to  our  country,  at  our  expense. 

"  Resolved,  3.  That  this  great  meeting,  convened 
without  distinction  of  sect  or  party,  and  composed 


214  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

of  friends  of  Religious  Liberty,  avails  itself  of  tho 
occasion,  in  this  solemn  and  formal  manner,  to  de- 
clare to  Europe  and  to  the  whole  world,  that  an  ex- 
perience, running  through  many  years,  has  demon- 
strated to  our  unanimous  judgment  the  safety,  har- 
mony and  prosperity  which  entire  religious  liberty 
secures  both  to  the  State  and  to  Religion. 

"  Resolved^  4.  That  this  meeting  firmly  believes 
that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  to  protect  all  our  citizens  in  their  religious 
rights  whilst  residing  or  sojourning  in  foreign  lands ; 
approves  in  the  fallest  manner  of  a  noble  attempt 
of  a  distinguished  Senator  from  Michigan,  (Gen. 
Cass,)  to  call  the  attention  of  the  Government  and 
the  public  to  this  important  subject;  and  entertains 
the  confident  hope  that  this  Government  will  spee- 
dily secure  to  its  citizens,  by  the  express  stipulations 
of  international  treaties,  the  right  to  worship  God 
according  to  the  dictates  of  their  conscience  in  every 
foreign  land. 

*'  Resolved.  5.  That  this  meeting  is  of  the  opinion 
that  the  benevolence  which  the  Gospel  teaches  and 
inspires,  should  lead  the  Government  of  these  United 
States,  and  the  Governments  of  other  countries 
which  enjoy  the  blessings  of  religious  liberty,  and 
have  experienced  its  advantages,  to  exert  a  judicious, 
proper,  and  peaceful  influence  to  secure  these  bless- 
ings and  advantages  to  all  nations  which  do  not  pos- 
sess them. 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  215 

"  Resolved^  6.  Finally,  that  whereas  the  Bible  is 
acknowledged  by  all  Christians  to  be  from  God, 
and  to  contain  a  revelation  of  His  will  concerning 
men,  and  lies  at  the  foundation  of  Christianity,  this 
meeting  affirms,  in  the  most  emphatic  manner,  its 
unwavering  conviction,  that  as  every  man  is  respon- 
sible to  God  alone  for  his  religious  belief,  that  no 
government,  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  has  the  right  to 
forbid  any  man  to  possess  and  read  that  sacred 
volume  for  himself,  or  read  it  to  his  family,  to  his 
neighbors,  to  his  friends,  and  to  all  who  desire  to 
hear  it. 

'■'■Additional  Resolution.  That  inasmuch  as  wo 
have  learned  that  several  of  these  persecuted  people 
are  in  exile  and  in  want,  and  others  in  prison,  and 
that  their  families  are  reduced  to  great  distress,  and 
some  of  them  to  utter  destitution,  this  meeting  re- 
commends that  contributions  be  made  by  the  be- 
nevolent, without  delay,  for  their  relief,  and  that  a 
committee  be  appointed  to  receive  and  expend  the 
funds  which  may  be  raised." 

The  Rev.  John  Kenneday,  D.  D.  of  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.— the  Rev.  N.  Murray,  D.  D.  of  Elizabeth- 
town,  N.  J.  and  the  Rev.  William  Hague,  D.  D.  of 
Newark,  N.  J.  respectively,  and  in  the  order  named, 
delivered  very  able  and  interesting  addresses,  which 
were  received  by  the  meeting  with  very  great  satis- 
faction, and  warm  expressions  of  applause. 

The  Congregation  then  rose,  and  sung,  standmg, 


216  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

to  the  tune  of  Old  Hundred,  the  117th  Psalm,  be- 
gmnmg  "  From  all  who  dwell  below  the  skies," 
when  at  its  close  the  Rev.  E.  R.  Fairchild,  D.  D. 
in  behalf  of  the  Committee,  read  the  following  De- 
claration, wliich  was  also  received  with  approba- 
tion, viz: 

DECL ARAT ION. 

"1.  It  has  been  proposed  to  invoke  the  influence 
of  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  induce  the 
government  of  Tuscany  to  pursue  a  milder  policy, 
because  it  is  believed  that  the  affair  of  the  Madiai 
has  reached  such  a  point,  that,  in  answer  to  a  kind 
request  coming  from  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  this 
country,  not  in  the  way  of  ordinary  diplomacy,  or 
as  a  political  question,  but  as  an  act  of  personal  fa- 
vor to  him,  and  as  a  favor  to  this  nation,  clemency 
may  be  shown  to  these  sufl*erers,  and  they  may  be 
allowed  to  come  to  us.  This  request  is  made  the 
more  readily  to  our  worthy  Chief  Magistrate,  be- 
cause it  is  within  our  knowledge  that  a  similar  influ- 
ence has  been  not  once  but  several  times  exerted  in 
favor  of  clemency  by  several  of  his  predecessors, 
and  not  in  vain.  This  happened  in  relation  to  a  per- 
secution, a  few  years  ago,  at  Hamburg,  the  massacre 
of  the  Jews  at  Damascus,  as  well  as  in  other  in- 
stances. 

*'  2.  With  equal  readiness  should  we  unite  with 
our  fellow-citizens  in  invoking  that  influence  in  the 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  217 

case  of  any  persons  sufiering  for  conscience'  sake, 
whoever  thoy  might  be,  whenever  it  can  be  sho^^^l 
that  such  interposition,  personal  rather  than  ofiicial, 
would  be  likely  to  prove  effectual. 

"  3.  Whilst  this  meeting,  fully  believing  that  God 
has  given  to  no  man  the  right  to  hold  error,  or  prac- 
tice a  false  worship,  yet  that,  in  this  respect  he  is 
accountable  to  Him  w^ho  alone  is  Lord  of  the  con- 
science, who  has  given  him  His  word  to  enlighten 
and  guide  him,  if  he  will  submit  to  its  teachings  ; 
and  that  no  man,  no  combination  of  men,  nor  human 
government,  has  the  right  to  compel  men  to  believe 
as  theij  do,  "  under  pains  and  penalties ;"  therefore 
this  meeting  reprobates  that  state  of  things,  in  any 
country,  by  which  dissent  from  the  Established 
Church  is  viewed  and  treated  as  constructive  treason. 

"4.  It  is  not  the  object  of  this  meeting  to  boast  of 
our  political  institutions,  or  to  meddle  with  questions 
of  a  political  nature.  We  have  no  desire  to  wound 
the  feelings  of  other  nations  by  touching  questions 
that  relate  to  the  forms  of  the  civil  government — 
questions  which  we  hold,  that  every  nation  has  the 
exclusive  right  to  decide  for  itself,  and  may  justly 
demand  that  its  decisions  shall  be  respected. 

"  5.  Neither  have  we  come  together  to  abuse  the 
rulers  of  any  country  in  Europe,  or  of  any  other 
part  of  the  world ;  but,  appreciating  in  some  good 
degree  the  difficulties  under  which  some  of  them 
and  their  governments  lie  at  present,  we  would  set 
19 


218  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

before  them  what  we  have  found  to  be  so  beneficial 
to  all  concerned  in  our  country,  and  make  some  sug- 
gestions w^hich  may  (with  God's  blessing)  not  be 
without  use  to  them. 

"6.  This  meeting  would  consider  the  subject  be- 
fore them,  not  as  a  Protestant  or  Roman  Catholic 
(.[uestion,  but  as  one  which  concerns  the  interests  of 
humanity  entire,  especially  the  interests  and  honor 
of  Christendom.  We  desire  liberty  of  conscience 
for  all,  whoever  they  may  be,  and  we  reprobate  and 
stigmatise  persecution  on  religious  grounds,  wher- 
ever it  may  exist.  We  live  under  a  government, 
we  are  happy  to  say,  whose  constitutional  provisions 
guarantee  to  the  population  (native  and  foreign)  the 
enjoyment  of  the  rights  of  conscience,  the  rights  of 
private  and  public  worship,  the  right  to  liold  and  to 
propagate  their  religious  opinions  respecting  doc- 
trines and  worship  in  all  proper  and  peaceable 
ways — a  government  which  has  made  no  law,  that 
we  are  aware  of,  with  the  intention  of  preventing 
men  from  holding  or  imparting  to  their  fellow-men 
such  opinions  as  may  seem  to  them  right  on  the 
subject  of  religion. 

"7.  The  religious  liberty  so  fully  enjoyed  by  all 
in  the  United  States  justifies  us  in  appealing  to  the 
liberality. of  the  rulers  and  governments  of  Europe, 
to  conced:fi!.  all  the  liberty  of  worship  and  of  opinion 
which  mc^.  be  consistent  with  mternal  peace,  and 
due  to  natiojial  comity.     The  people  of  the  United 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.         219 

States,  chiefly  Protestants,  cannot  look  upon  the 
punishment  of  men  for  no  other  oflence  than  Pro- 
testantism, without  that  dissatisAiction  which  must 
strongly  act  upon  all  Protestant  people,  and  prepare 
a  state  of  opinion  which  may  one  day  be  very  un- 
favorable to  the  peace  of  the  world. 

'•  S.  Still  further :  the  people  of  the  United  States, 
when  conflagration  or  famine  overwhelms  with  dis- 
tress or  ruin  any  other  people,  do  not  stop  to  in- 
quire into  the  religious  or  political  opinions  of  the 
suflTerers,  but  fly  promptly  to  their  relief,  as  has  been 
twice  done  in  relation  to  Madeira,  and  also  to  Ire- 
land, Scotland,  and  Greece.  This  liberality  on  our 
part  entitles  us  to,  at  least,  a  respectful  hearing, 
when  we  speak  of  religious  liberty  to  the  nations  of 
the  earth,  especially  as  we  have  had  ample  experience 
of  its  blessed  influence. 

"  9.  Christendom  has  long  submitted  to  a  law  of 
nations.  And  even  the  comity  of  nations^  if  it  has 
not  commanded  so  general  an  assent,  has  at  least 
exerted  a  wide  and  perceptible  influence.  But  a 
public  opinion  of  nations  is  rapidly  growing  into 
power,  and  its  influence  will  be  far  more  eflectual 
and  controling  than  either.  The  facilities  of  tra- 
velling, the  wonders  of  the  telegraph,  the  increase  of 
knowledge,  are  opening  the  way  for  an  interchange 
of  opinions  which  must  remove  many  difficulties, 
and  thus  bring  about  a  unity  of  sentiment  on  very 
many  subjects  on  which  men  have  heretofore  been 


220  STORY      OP      THE     MADIAI. 

divided.  It  will  become  a  matter  of  necessity  that 
rulers  and  governments  prepare  for  this  change,  and 
so  modify  their  laws  and  regulations  as  to  make  du'^ 
concessions  to  this  new  state  of  things." 

The  Rev.  George  W.  Bethune,  D.  D.  of  Brook- 
lyn, New- York,  next  addressed  the  meeting  in  - 
very  able  and  appropriate  speech,  and  which  was 
received  with  very  great  enthusiasm.  That  the 
reader  may  enter  into  the  spirit,  the  feelings,  and 
the  high  and  worthy  aims  of  the  meeting,  the  follow- 
ing, but  greatly  condensed  report  of  this  excellent 
speech,  which  occupied  nearly  an  hour  in  its  de- 
livery, is  submitted : — 

DR.     BETHUNe's     address. 

*The  Rev.  Dr.  Bethune  said  this  was  to  him  a 
most  solemn  occasion.  He  felt  as  if  he  were  called 
again  into  the  presence  of  centuries  long  past.  He 
seemed  to  hear  those  sublime  words  ringing  in  his 
ears :  '  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  the 
holy  Catholic  church,  and  in  the  communion  ot 
sahits.'  There  is  but  one  head,  and  but  one  body ; 
and  wherever  there  is  one  who  believes  in  Jesus 
Christ,  there  is  a  member  of  that  church  ;  and  if  one 
member  suffers,  all  the  members  suffer  with  it.  If 
we  have  the  Holy  Ghost  within  us,  if  we  have  be- 
come vitally  united  to  the  body  of  our  blessed  Lord 
by  a  living  faith,  there  '.s  not  one  of  us  whose  heart 


PROCEEDINGS     OF     AMERICA.  221 

is  not  bleeding  with  those  beloved  Christians  who 
are  now  crushed  beneath  the  foot  of  the  oppressor ; 
and  we  must,  before  God,  who  gave  us  hearts  and 
faith,  speak  out.  I  am  sure  we  must  all  feel  it,  and 
our  s^-mpathies  must  find  relief;  and  if  it  reach  no 
further  than  to  give  us  relief  from  this  pent-up  emo- 
tion, this  meeting  is  a  blessing  to  the  freemen  and 
inhabitants  of  New-York.  (x\pplause.)  I  said  I 
felt  as  if  I  were  called  into  centuries  long  past  away. 
We  read  of  the  sufferings  of  the  primitive  Christians 
— we  read  of  them  who  were  stoned  and  sawn 
asunder — who  sang  amidst  the  smoke  of  their  fires 
— who  perished  in  dungeons  with  the  long  pain  of 
fatal  hunger ;  and,  until  a  very  short  time  ago,  we 
had  felt,  as  Christians,  that  these  days  were  past. 
There  were  some  prophecies  that,  interpreted  in  a 
particular  light,  seemed  to  tell  us  that  the  days  of 
that  persecution  might  return,  but  we  had  been  long 
in  the  habit  of  feeling  that  those  days  had  gone. 

"It  is  not  long  since  we  had  the  privilege  to  wel- 
come the  stranger  among  us,  and  it  was  a  higher 
privilege  to  wolcome  those  exiles  from  the  island  of 
Madeira.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  we  were  per- 
mitted to  see  the  '  confessors,'  such  as  are  now 
canonized  by  that  same  Church  of  Rome.  And 
now  we  are  told  that  two  obscure  individuals,  in 
the  midst  of  that  church,  are  incarcerated  and  treated 
as  felons,  for  no  crime  but  reading  the  Bible.  From 
my  heart  I  sympathise  with  those  two  persons,  that 
10* 


222  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

brother  and  sister  in  Christ ;  but  much  remains  yet 
behind  to  be  filled  up  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 
There  remains  yet  a  necessity  for  the  sufferings  of 
the  people  of  Gocl,  to  prove  in  the  first  place  the 
evil  of  that  spirit  which  exalts  itself  against  the 
Scriptures ;  and,  in  the  second  place,  to  prove  ihe 
divinity  of  that  faith  which  upholds  the  soul  above 
torture  and  imprisonment  and  death. 

"  This  proves  that  the  spirit  of  that  power  is  un- 
changed. It  is  impossible  for  an  American,  brought 
up  from  his  childhood  amidst  the  light  and  liberty, 
and  privileges  which  we  enjoy  in  this  land — it  is  im- 
possible for  him  to  conceive  the  tyranny  and  op- 
pression which  exist  in  the  Old  World,  and  when 
we  tell  him  of  it,  he  tells  us  that  we  are  calumniating 
our  brethren,  and  that  it  is  not  right  to  bring  such 
charges  against  men  because  their  ancestors  in  past 
centuries  have  been  guilty  of  crimes,  and  that  the 
growing  light  of  science  and  the  interchange  of  phi- 
lanthropic feeling  have  wrought  a  great  revolution 
in  the  spirit  of  that  church  which  was  formerly 
recognized  as  a  church  of  persecution.  Here  is  a 
fact  rising  up  before  us,  which  tells  us  that  the 
spirit  which  persecuted  the  Albigenses  is  still  there, 
not  dead,  but  rampant  and  ready,  so  far  as  it  has  the 
power,  to  crush  now,  as  it  was  ready  to  crush  five 
hundred  years  ago.  Am  I  wrong  in  thisl  I  see  a 
brother  here  up<  n  the  stage  who  told  me  once,  in 
preaching  preparatory  to   the  sacrament,   he  took 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  223 

occasion  to  explain  the  fallacy  of  the  doctrine  of 
transubstantiation  held  by  the  Catholic  Church,  and 
that  one  of  liis  parishioners  complained  of  his  slan- 
dering the  Catholics ;  "  for  we  all  know,"  said  the 
man.  "  that  nobody  can  believe  such  nonsense." 
This  was  the  light  he  took  of  it,  and  precisely  in  the 
same  manner  do  we  find  people  believing  it  impos- 
sible that  the  spirit  of  persecution  can  still  exist  as  it 
existed  in  former  years.  Tlie  spirit  of  Antichrist  is 
the  same  at  all  times.  The  spirit  of  Christ  says, 
*'  Search  the  Scriptures,"  and  wherever  there  comes 
a  spirit  which  forbids  you  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
you  may  depend  upon  it  that  there  is  the  spirit  of 
Antichrist,  because  it  is  opposed  to  it.  (Applause.) 
And  now  we  know  that  this  oppression  exists,  does 
it  not  become  ns  to  aid  the  oppressed  1  Are  we  not 
a  republic  ?  and  are  we  not  the  only  nation  on  the 
face  of  the  earth — except  it  be  the  little  republic  on 
the  shores  of  Liberia — in  which  religious  liberty  is 
entire.  (Applause.)  Since  we  are  in  this  country 
as  republicans,  and  bearing  our  testimony  to  the 
value  of  republican  principles  in  the  flice  of  the 
whole  earth,  should  we  not  believe  that  it  is  part  of 
our  mission  not  only  to  enjoy  what  God  has  sent  us, 
but  to  ditllise  it  to  others  ?  This  is  the  only  country 
in  which  the  principle  of  religious  liberty  has  been 
permitted  to  work  itself  out ;  and  as  all  our  churches 
have  flourished  and  grown  strong,  and  been  a  bless- 
ing to  us  under  the  system,  I  say  it  is  our  duty,  not 


224  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

as  Protestants  merely,  but  as  freemen,  to  lift  up  our 
voice  against  religious  oppression  wherever  it  may 
exist.  (Loud  applause.)  Now  I  wish  to  speak  a 
few  words  in  relation  to  the  Romish  Church.  What 
is  the  meaning  of  the  words  "  Protestant  country," 
as  applied  to  the  United  States  1  I  now  read  as 
follows : — 

I  suppose  that  at  last  it  will  come  down  to  signify 
nothing  more  than  that  the  majority  of  the  inhabi- 
tants are  Protestants;  but  has  it  never  occurred  to 
those  who  would  make  such  an  objection,  that  majo- 
rities and  minorities  are  mere  accidents,  liable  to 
change !  whereas  the  constitution  is  a  principle  and 
not  an  accident;  "its  great" — and  mark  you  this — 
"its  great  and  unappreciable  value  is  that  it  pre- 
scribes the  duties  of  the  majority,  and  protects  with 
equal  and  impartial  justice  the  rights  of  the  manority. 
In  this  country  the  constitution  of  the  United  States 
says  the  majority  shall  rule." 

God  grant  it!  "Now,  in  pursuance  of  the  consti- 
tution, this  is  neither  a  Protestant  nor  a  Catholic 
country,  but  a  broad  land  of  civil  and  religious  free- 
dom and  equality  to  all."  This  is  the  euloghim  pro- 
nounced upon  the  constitution  of  the  United  States 
by  Archbishop  Hughes.  Now,  I  have  not  the  honor 
of  knowing  that  gentleman  personally,  but  we  aro 
sufficiently  well  known  to  the  public  to  warrant  my 
not  waiting  for  an  introduction,  and  I  call  upon  him 
in  the  name  of  the  liberties  which  his  Church  has 


T-xt'.  ^       ulDINCS      IN      AMERICA.  225 

eiijoyed — iii  ttie  name  of  that  freedom  which  every 
Protestant  in  this  house,  that  is  worthy  the  name  of 
Protestant,  is  Avillinir  to  accord  to  every  Roman 
Catholic  in  the  land — I  call  upon  him  in  gratitude  to 
the  Baltimores  and  Williamses,  and  those  whose 
spirits  made  that  constitution  of  ours  free  from  every 
ytain  of  religious  restraint — I  call  upon  him  to  join 
us  in  calling  upon  the  Duke  of  Tuscany  to  set  free 
these  people.  (Tremendous  applause.)  If  this  op- 
pression be  not  the  work  of  Roman  Catholicism,  he 
cannot,  he  M'ill  not  refuse  to  join  in  the  extension  of 
that  principle  over  which  he  rejoices.  (Cheers.)  If 
he  does  not  join  us  we  shall  believe  that  such  oppres- 
sion is  part  and  parcel  of  Roman  Catholicism,  and 
that  if  they  had  the  power  here,  they  would  act  like 
the  Duke  of  Tuscany.  This  is  the  point  to  which  we 
come.  We  have  stronger  sympathies  in  one  cause 
than  another,  and  it  is  possible  that  I  may  have  them ; 
but  I  verily  believe,  if  I  know  my  own  heart,  that  if 
this  were  a  case  of  religious  oppression  of  a  Jew  or 
Turk,  much  more  the  oppression  of  a  Roman  Catho- 
lic, who  yet  I  hold  to  be  a  fellow  Christian — I  may 
say  my  indignation  would  be  as  strong  as  it  is  now; 
and  I  would  lift  up  my  feeble  voice  in  advocacy  of 
the  great  principle,  that,  let  man  be  Jew,  Turlv,  Pa- 
pist or  Protestant,  let  him  alone.  (Loud  applause.) 
Let  him  talk  with. his  God,  and  let  his  God  talk 
with  him;  and  therefore  it  is  not  as  a  Protestant, 
but  as  a  Chi-istian  citizen  of  a  free  land,  that  I  aro. 


226  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

glad  to  see  my  Catholic  fellow-citizens  as  free  as  my- 
self— therefore  it  is  that  I  desire  to  protest  against 
this  oppression,  and  I  call  upon  my  Catholic  brethren 
to  join  with  me  in  the  protest.  (Applause.)  It  will 
not  come ;  depend  upon  it,  it  will  not. 

Every  one  who  knows  anything  about  Italy  for 
years  since,  is  aware  that  this  very  Duke  of  Tuscany 
was  so  kind,  so  clement,  and  so  lenient  a  prince,  that 
he  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  best  beloved  of  all 
European  sovereigns,  unless  it  may  be  perhaps  the 
Emperor  of  Eussia,  who  is  regarded  with  a  sort  of 
religious  affection ;  and  I  will  tell  you  more,  that  if 
that  conspiracy  which  broke  out  some  years  ago  to 
consolidate  Italy  into  one  kingdom  had  been  success- 
ful, the  leaders  would  have  placed  him  at  the  head 
of  the  kingdom.  And  why  ?  Because  of  his  liberal 
sentiments  and  kind  heart,  they  wished  to  put  him 
npon  the  throne.  If  that  conspiracy  had  been  suc- 
cessful, he  would  have  filled  the  throne  as  the  most 
<ilement  prince  that  Italy  had.  I  have  seen,  sir,  this 
')ld  man  walking  with  his  hands  behind  his  back, 
superintending  the  improvements  at  Leghorn,  and 
other  parts  of  his  dominions,  patting  the  little  child- 
ren on  the  head,  talking  to  the  working  people,  and 
nodding  familiarly  to  the  market-women — the  very 
picture  of  a  good  king.  Has  this  man  changed? 
Yes.  At  that  very  time  the  minions  of  the  Pope 
endeavored  to  use  him  in  oppressing  the  people ;  but 
he  put  them  one  side,  and  set  his  face  against  the  in- 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.         227 

fluoncc  of  religious  tyranny.  But  he  has  now  grown 
old,  his  brain  has  become  weak,  his  heart  fearful,  and 
he  has  changed.  It  is  not  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tus- 
cany now,  it  is  the  priest.  Am  I  wrong  in  charging 
this  upon  the  priesthood  ?  The  Pope  is  a  priest,  and 
the  Pope  is  supreme  at  Rome.  Let  the  Pope  decree 
religious  liberty — let  the  Pope  wash  his  hands  of 
religious  oppression,  let  religion  be  free  in  Rome, 
and  then  shall  I  believe  that  religious  oppression  is 
not  the  act  of  the  priest,  but  of  the  government. 

But  this  very  night  there  is  within  the  city  of 
Rome,  a  narrow  street,  with  a  gate  at  each  end,  into 
which  is  crammed  every  night  from  seven  to  eight 
hundred  human  beings.  Drive  through  that  street 
in  the  day-time,  and  you  need  perfume  to  keep  you 
from  fainting,  such  is  the  consequence  of  this  dense 
population.  Who  are  these  people?  They  are  al- 
most under  the  shadow  of  the  Vatican.  And  this 
most  Christian  sovereign  of  the  most  Christian 
Church  has  the  power  to  set  them  free,  but  he  closes 
the  gates  upon  them  at  8  o'clock  every  evening  in 
winter,  and  9  o'clock  in  the  summer,  and  opens  them 
in  the  morning  at  a  corresponding  hour.  Why  is 
this  ?  Because  they  are  Jews,  and  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic relicrion  tolerates  no  relisrlon  but  its  own.  If  we 
are  guilty  of  slander — if  it  seems  like  calumny  to 
charge  oppression  upon  those  who  profess  in  some 
respects  the  same  faith  as  ourselves,  let  them  wash 
their  hands  of  these  things.     The  Pope  ought  to  be 


228  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

the  champion  of  religious  freedom.  He  should  set 
the  example  to  the  world  by  allowing  truth  to  come 
into  contact  -with  error. 

1/ there  be  a  city  next  to  Jerusalem  itself,  filled 
wi  .h  consecrated  recollections,  it  is  Rome — Eome, 
r  nose  grounds  are  honey-combed  with  the  tombs  of 
arly  martyrs.  A  little  while  since,  when  there 
fi^as  danger,  w^hat  did  you  see  %  A  sovereign  Prince, 
jhe  representative  of  the  Apostle — puts  on  a  livery 
and  gets  behind  a  travelling  carriage,  and  flies  like  a 
lackey!  The  coward  fled  !  And  he  whose  voice  of 
authority  liad  roared  like  a  bull  from  the  Vatican, 
roared  from  the  palace  of  Gjeta,  like  a  petted  calf! 

Are  you  here  to  sympathize  with  a  gentleman,  a 
nobleman  %  This  man  who  is  imprisoned  is  what  is 
called  a  lackey^  a  hired  servant.  This  man,  when 
called  to  give  up  his  Bible,  did  he  fly  1  fly  like  a 
Pope  1  No  ;  superstition  has  made  a  Pope  a  cow- 
ard, while  the  Bible  has  raised  a  lackey  to  the  dig- 
nity of  a  nobleman. 

He  now 'called  upon  the  priests  to  join  in  main- 
taining civil  liberty.  But  he  believed,  if  they  con- 
trolled the  municipal  authorites  of  this  city,  as  they 
do  the  Duke  of  Tuscany,  his  head  to-morrow  morn- 
ing would  not  be  worth  a  six-pence.  And  yet,  said 
he,  I  here  declare  before  God,  that  I  hope  I  have  the 
spirit  of  my  country's  history,  and  have  drunk  deeply 
enough  of  the  spirit  of  religious  liberty,  to  lay  my 
head  upon  a  block,  and  have  it  chopped  ofl",  before  a 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  229 

single  hair  of  the  head  of  the  most  Ligottcd  Papist 
in  this  hmd  should  sufier  the  least  harm  by  religious 
persecution.  [Here  the  audience  broke  out  in  the 
most  uncontrollable  applause,  and  the  speaker  took 
his  scat.] 

The  Rev.  S.  H.  Cox,  D.  D.  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
made  the  last  address,  which  was  highly  appropriate 
and  well  received,  but  very  short,  m  consequence  of 
the  lateness  of  the  hour. 

Having  adopted  the  resolutions  offered  by  a  for 
mal  vote,  the  meeting  was  dissolved  by  pronouncing 
the  Apostolic  Benediction; 

Never  before  in  this  country  was  any  religious 
meeting  so  distinguished,  by  the  presence  of  so  many 
persons  of  talent,  piety,  and  influence,  in  the  various 
walks  of  life.  Its  object  was  benevolent  and  Chris- 
tian, and  all  except  the  bigotted  Papist,  inflituated 
and  blinded  by  his  false  religion,  were  happy  in  being 
called  to  attend  its  solemnities.  Popish  priests,  and 
others  in  connection  with  them,  opposed  it,  and 
sought  to  disturb  its  hallowed  proceedings,  and  to 
destroy  the  accomplishment  of  its  end.  But  the 
effort  was  unavailing.— ^It  went  onward  to  its  close 
in  the  happiest  form,  and  its  salutary  influence  soon 
began  to  show  itself  all  over  the  land. 

In  Newark,  N.  J.  a  similar  public  meeting  of 
great  interest  was  held  on  Thursday  evening,  the 
20th  of  January,  at  which  the  IMayor  of  the  city,  the 
Honorable  Mr.  Quimby,  presided.     Excellent  ad- 


230  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

dresses  were  delivered,  and  appropriate  resolutions 
were  adopted. 

In  Baltimore  also,  a  great  and  enthusiastic  meet- 
ing in  behalf  of  religious  liberty  was  held  on  the 
evening  of  the  19th  of  February  following,  at  which 
it  was  computed  that  there  were  present  at  least, 
four  thousand  people,  when  the  subject  was  discuss- 
ed with  great  ability,  and  important  resolutions  were 
adopted. 

By  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York  the 
following  resolutions  were  adopted,  viz  : 

Resolutions   of  the  New-York  Legislature. 

Resolved^  (If  the  Assembly  concur)  That  the  Le- 
gislature of  the  State  of  New- York  have  regarded 
with  deep  solicitude  and  regret  the  recent  persecu- 
tions to  which  Francesco  Madiai,  and  his  wife  Rosa 
Madial  have  been  subjected  in  the  Kingdom  of  Tus- 
cany, for  the  alleged  crime  of  reading  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

Resolved^  (If  the  Assembly  concur)  That  the  con- 
gratulations with  which  the  State  of  New  York,  for- 
mally and  by  public  act,  hailed,  in  1S47,  the  efforts 
of  Pius  IX,  to  am.eliorate  the  condition  of  the  Italian 
people,  and  to  bestow  upon  them  the  incalculable 
blessing  of  national  independence  and  constitutional 
freedom,  make  eminently  proper  at  this  time  a  for- 
mal and  public  remonstrance  against  cruel  and  fla- 
grant oppression  in  the  same  land. 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  231 

Resolved^  (If  the  Assembly  concur)  That  the  Pre- 
sident of  the  United  States  be  respectfully  requested 
to  exert  his  best  influence  with  the  government  of 
Tuscany  to  obtain,  as  a  favor  asked  by  a  people 
which  welcomes  all  strangers  and  protects  all  reli- 
gions, permission  for  the  Madiai,  and  their  fellow- 
prisoners  for  the  same  offence,  to  emigrate  to  this 
country. 

Resolved^  (If  the  Assemby  concur)  That  a  copy 
of  these  resolutions  be  duly  aathenticated  and  for- 
warded by  the  Governor  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  each  of  the  Senators  and  Rep- 
resentatives in  Congress  from  this  State. 

Meanwhile  the  subject  reaches  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States  which  was  then  in  session,  and 
was  brought  before  the  Senate  by  the  Honorable 
Lewis  Cass,  and  the  House  of  Pepresentatives  by 
the  Honorable  Mr.  Wilcox,  particularly  in  its  rela- 
tion to  American  citizens,  while  residing  or  sojourn- 
ing in  foreign  lands :  and  a  few  days  before  its  ad- 
journment the  Honorable  J.  P.  Underwood,  Chair- 
man of  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Pelations,  at  the 
close  of  an  able  Peport  upon  it,  submitted  the  fol- 
lowing Resolutions  to  the  Senate,  and  recommended 
their  adoption,  viz  : — 

RESOLUTIONS     OF     THE     SENATE. 

^^  Resolved,  That  it  would  be  just  and  wise,  on 
the  part  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  in 


232  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

future  treaties  \vith  foreign  nations,  to  secure,  if 
practiciible,  to  our  citizens  residing  abroad,  the  right 
of  worshipping  God,  freely  and  openly,  according  to 
the  dictates  of  their  own  consciences,  by  providing 
that  '  they  shall  not  be  disturbed,  molested,  or 
annoyed  in  any  manner,  on  account  of  their  religious 
belief,  nor  in  the  proper  exercise  of  their  peculiar 
religion,  either  within  their  owii  private  houses,  or 
in  churches,  chapels,  or  other  places  appointed  for 
public  worship ;  and  that  they  shall  be  at  liberty  to 
build  and  maintain  places  of  worship  in  convenient 
situations,  interfermg  in  no  way  with,  but  respecting, 
the  religion  and  customs  of  the  country  in  which 
they  reside. 

"  Resolved  further,  That  it  would  be  just  and 
wise,  in  our  future  treaties  with  foreign  nations,  to 
secure  to  our  citizens  residing  abroad  the  right  to 
purchase  and  own  bnrial-places,  and  to  bury  any  of 
our  citizens,  dying  abroad,  in  such  places,  with  those 
religious  ceremonies  and  observances  deemed  appro- 
priate by  the  surviving  relatives  and  friends  of  the 
deceased." 

Before  closing  this  chapter,  the  reader  should  be 
informed  that  at  an  early  day  the  attention  of  the 
Honorable  Millard  Filmore,  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  had  been  called  to  the  case  of  the 
Madiai,  by  a  Committee  appointed  for  that  purpose 
in  the  city  of  New-York,  and  his  influence  solicited, 
so  far  as  the  duties  of  his  o.3ice  would  permit ;  and  a 


PROCEEDINGS      IN     AMERICA.  233 

letter  was  consequently  soon  dispatched  by  the 
Honorable  INIr.  Everltt,  the  Secretary  of  State,  to 
the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  asking  their  release. 
It  can  hardly  fail,  though  unofficial,  to  receive  a 
respectful  consideration ;  and  it  may  be  followed  by 
the  restoration  of  those  pious  people  to  their  homes, 
or  at  least,  by  a  permission  to  leave  Tuscany  and 
come  to  this  country. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Archbishop  Hughes'  Letter. 

The  meeting  whose  proceedings  and  some  of  its 
effects  are  noticed  in  the  preceding  chapter  necessa- 
rily bore  with  considerable  severity  upon  the  Popish 
system  of  religion,  and  exposed  its  intolerant  and 
persecuting  spirit.  The  cause  which  the  friends  and 
advocates  of  that  system  chose  to  pursue,  in  regard 
to  the  meeting  and  the  objects  of  it,  demonstrated 
more  clearly  than  it  had  been  done  in  this  country 
before,  that  these  traits  attach  to  the  American 
branch  of  the  establishment,  as  really  as  to  the  Eu- 
ropean. Romanists,  in  common  with  all  other  citi- 
zens, were  invited  to  attend  and  to  give  their  influ- 
ence against  religious  intolerance,  and  in  favor  of 
religious  freedom.  They  did  not  comply  with  the 
invitation.  They  withheld  all  cooperation,  and  in 
the  way  of  lectures,  sermons,  and  newspaper  arti- 
20* 


234  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

cles,  simultaneously  put  forth  throughout  the  coun- 
try in  large  numbers,  misrepresenting  the  whole 
matter,  and  vindicating  the  action  of  the  Grand 
Duke,  in  his  treatment  of  the  Madiai,  sought  to 
embarrass,  if  not  to  break  down  and  destroy  the 
good  influences  which  the  friends  of  religious  free- 
dom had  set  in  motion. 

Various  pens  had  ably  corrected  many  of  the 
misrepresentations  that  had  been  made  by  Popish 
Priests,  lecturers,  correspondents  and  editors,  when 
the  Archbishop  of  New-York,  the  Rev.  John  Hughes, 
D.  D.  deemed  it  necessary  to  bring  the  weight  of 
his  personal  influence,  and  the  power  of  his  reason- 
ing to  bear  upon  the  matter,  that  the  attention  of 
the  public  might  be  diverted  from  the  real  question 
at  issue,  and  the  Popish  operations  in  this  land  still 
be  undisturbed,  and  the  true  character  of  Popery  be 
saved  from,  at  least,  a  hazardous  exposure.  There- 
fore on  the  18th  of  February,  six  weeks  after  the 
meeting  in  the  JNIetropolitan  Hall,  the  following  let- 
ter from  him,  though  addressed  to  the  Freeman's 
Journal,  was  published  in  the  New- York  Daily 
Times.  The  next  day  it  appeared  in  the  New-York 
Plerald,  and  also  in  the  Freemans'  Journal  to  which 
latter  it  was  addressed.  It  is  a  remarkable  docu- 
ment, and  shows  to  what  extremes  one  may  be  led 
against  humanity,  courtesy,  reason  and  truth,  when 
committed  by  vows  to  a  false  system  of  religion 
and   politics,  as   is   the   system   of  Popery.     The 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  235 

reader  will  see  that  it  counts  very  largely  on  the  ig- 
norance, credulity,  and  forbearance,  of  the  American 
people ;  and  shows  an  indifference  to  facts,  and  a 
willin<Tness  to  mislead,  which  are  sadly  at  variance 
with  moral  uprightness.     Here  it  is. 

"  To  the  Editor  of  the  New- York  Freemans'  Journal." 

"The  heading  of  this  communication  suggests 
the  matter  which  it  proposes  to  discuss.  No  pre- 
face or  introduction  is  necessary.  The  case  of  the 
Madiai,  as  reported  in  newspapers,  had  already  at- 
tracted the  attention  and  active  sympathy 'of  distin- 
guished gentlemen,  especially  in  England,  previous 
to  its  having  been  taken  up  in  this  country.  It  had 
been  the  occasion  of  meetings  at  Exeter  Hall  in 
London.  It  had  been  especially  adopted  by  Sir 
Culling  Eardley  and  Lord  Roden,  who  are  by  no 
means  distinguished  as  promoters  of  religious  liber- 
ty in  their  own  country.  Under  such  sanction  in 
England  it  would  be  strange  if  the  movement  did 
not  produce  some  corresponding  action  in  this  coun- 
try. For  latterly  it  seems  as  if  the  philanthropists 
of  this  land  deem  it  their  highest  honor  to  be  imita- 
tors of  the  corresponding  class  in  England.  There 
is  nothing  done  by  the  aristocracy  of  England  in  the 
name  of  benevolence  and  philanthropy,  which  doe? 
not  immediately  provoke  the  desire  of  imitation 
among  the  aristocracy  here.  And  the  only  example 
that  we  have  failed  to  imitate  is  the  establishment 


236  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

of  Ragged  Schools,  which  have  become  so  popular 
in  London  and  its  vicinity.  This  we  have  not  ven- 
tured on,  although  Heaven  knows,  so  far  as  the  title 
is  concerned,  the  materials  are  not  wantinof.  Ens:- 
land,  as  an  accompaniment  of  the  emigration  of  at 
least  her  Catholic  subjects,  has  not  allowed  them  to 
leave  her  shores  unprovided  with  all  the  requisites 
fitting  them  for  admission  into  Ragged  Schools. 

"  With  this  exception,  whatever  becomes  popular 
among  a  certain  class  of  English  nobility  and  gentry 
is  sure  to  be  imitated  on  this  side  of  the  ocean.  In 
this  way' we  can  account  for  the  convocation  of  a 
Madia!  sympathy  meeting  at  Metropolitan  Ilall. 
The  call  of  the  meeting  was  signed  by  some  of  our 
most  respectable  citizens.  It  was  attended  by  a 
very  large  assemblage  of  persons  who  would  attend 
the  meetings  of  Exeter  Hall  against  Catholics  with 
as  much  sympathy  and  pleasure.  The  proceedings 
of  the  meeting  were  in  strict  accordance  with  its 
purpose,  which  was  to  shut  off  all  free  discussion, 
and  to  excite  an  unkind,  uncharitable,  and  bitter 
Protestant  feeling  against  the  Catholics  of  the  United 
States  and  of  the  world.  I  should  perhaps  observe 
in  this  place,  to  the  credit  of  the  Protestant  clei-gy 
of  this  City,  that  if  they  attended  the  meeting  at  all, 
it  was  only  in  the  capacity  of  silent  spectators — - 
while  the  resolutions  were  brought  forward,  and 
speeches  delivered  by  reverend  brethren  imported 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  237 

apparently  for  the  occasion,  from  the  suburban  and 
neio-hborinoj  villasrcs  around  New- York. 

"  I  need  not  refer  to  the  course  which  was  given 
to  the  whole  discussion  on  that  occasion.  I  may  re- 
mark, however,  that  it  comprised  a  scurrilous  de- 
nunciation of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  of  the 
Jesuits,  of  the  Pope,  of  Catholic  Governments  in 
Europe,  of  the  Catholic  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
and  of  the  Catholic  religion  and  its  members  of  all 
times  and  places.  This  was  the  purpose  to  which 
the  Madiai  meeting  directed  its  powers  of  eloquence 
and  denunciation.  Whether  the  gentlemen  who 
signed  the  call  for  that  meeting,  Hon.  Luther 
Bradish,  Collector  Hugh  Maxwell,  Hiram  Ketchum, 
Esq.,  and  other  gentlemen  of  equal  respectability, 
intended  to  furnish  an  occasion  for  denouncing  their 
Catholic  fellow-citizens  in  this  country,  is  more  than 
I  can  take  upon  me  to  decide.  From  my  previous 
knowledge  of  some  of  these  gentlemen,  and  my  re- 
spect for  all,  I  should  be  unwilling  to  believe  that 
they  would  loan  their  honored  names  for  a  purpose 
so  unworthy  of  their  social  position,  and  so  much  at 
variance  with  the  civil  institutions  of  their  country. 
I  cannot,  however,  acquit  them  of  responsibility  in 
this — that  having  accepted,  or  assumed  the  trust  of 
calling  a  public  meeting,  they  delegated  that  trust  to 
other  trustees,  in  whom  the  public  could  not  have 
the  same  confidence.  Other  meetings  like  that  at 
Metropolitan  Hall  have  already  been  held  in  other 


238  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

parts  of  the  country,  and  the  probability  is,  that 
Messrs.  Bradish,  Maxwell  and  Ketchum,  whether  it 
was  their  intention  or  not,  will  have  inaugurated  a 
Protestant  crusade  against  their  Catholic  fellow- 
citizens  hardly  less  violent,  or  less  dishonorable, 
than  that  which  resulted  from  the  '  Awful  Disclosures 
of  Maria  Monk.' 

"  The  wisdom  and  expediency  of  giving  any  en- 
couragement to  religious  excitements  in  connection 
with  civil  and  social  rights,  appear  to  me  extremely 
doubtful.  The  Catholics  of  this  country  have  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  trial  and  the  imprisonment 
of  the  Madiai  in  Florence.  What  good  effect,  there- 
fore, will  be  produced  by  an  attempt,  through  the 
medium  of  public  meetings,  to  denounce  them  for  an 
act  which  they  had  no  power  either  to  accomplish  or 
prevent  ?  Is  it  wise  to  encourage  strifes  among  the 
various  denominations  of  which  the  people  of  the 
United  States  are  composed  1  Would  it  not  be 
wiser  to  recognize  the  rights  of  such  denomination 
and  of  each  individual,  fully  and  frankly,  as  they  are 
recognized  by  the  Constitution  of  the  country  ? 
Some  have  the  same  right  to  be  Catholics  as  others 
have  to  be  Protestants.  All  have  the  right  to  pro- 
fess what  religion  they  please.  And  since  this  is 
the  condition  of  all  the  people  of  the  United  States, 
is  it  wise  or  just  to  denounce  any  portion  of  them 
for  the  offences,  real  or  imaginary,  committed  by 
their  brethren  of  the  same  creed  in  foreign  coun- 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  239 

tries?  The  time  may  come,  and  perhaps  sooner 
than  is  expected  by  our  wisest  public  men,  when  the 
United  States  will  have  need  of  the  support  of  all 
her  citizens.  Who  can  tell  whether  the  future  of 
this  country  may  not  reveal  dangers  either  from 
foreign  enemies  or  from  internal  divisions,  which 
will  test  the  loyalty  and  fidelity  of  every  citizen,  of 
whatever  religion  1  In  such  an  emergency  the  Ca- 
tholics, in  spite  of  the  denunciations  to  which  they 
have  been  lately  exposed,  will  be  found  among  the 
fastest  friends  of  the  Union  and  the  bravest  defenders 
of  the  soil.  They  have  ever  been  such — and  during 
the  last  few  years,  when  even  statesmen,  not  of  their 
religion,  were  ready  to  follow  the  lead  of  a  foreign 
demagogue,  the  Catholics  have  exhibited  evidences 
of  self-control,  of  calm  and  wise  loyalty  to  the  United 
States,  of  a  well-poised  self-possession  which  have 
entitled  them  to  the  respect  of  their  countrymen. 
If  it  be  true,  then,  that  from  the  earliest  colonization 
of  these  States,  and  through  all  the  struggles  which 
they  had  to  undergo  in  peace  or  in  war,  the  Catho- 
lics have  ever  sustained  an  untarnished  reputation, 
have  never  furnished  a  coward  on  battle-field,  or  a 
traitor  in  council :  if  they  have  discharged  honoral)ly 
their  civil  duties  in  times  of  peace,  and  their  obliga- 
tions of  patriotism  in  times  of  war,  why  should  they 
now,  under  the  auspices  of  the  gentlemen  who  called 
the  meeting  at  Metropolitan  Hall,  be  given  over  to 


240  STORY     OF      THE      MADIA  I. 

the  coarse  and  vulgar  denunciations  of  the  reverend 
orators  who  figured  on  that  occasion  1 

The  charge  alleged  in  the  preamble  of  the  reso- 
lutions  adopted  at  that  meeting,  and  on  which  the 
resolutions  themselves  are  founded,  is  that  for  no 
other  crime  except  that  of  '  possessing  and  reading 
their  Bible,'  the  Madiai,  husband  and  wife,  were  tried, 
convicted,  and  incarcerated  by  the  Government  of 
Tuscany :  if  this  charge  be  the  truth,  the  whole  truth ; 
and  nothing  but  the  truth  ;  I  am  quite  free  and  wil- 
ling to  denounce  the  proceedings  of  the  Government 
of  Tuscany  as  oppressive,  unjust  and  cruel;  Such 
an  act  w^ould  be  a  disgrace  to  any  Government, 
Catholic  or  Protestant.  But  I  must  beg  leave  to 
say  that  I  do  not  believe  the  truth  of  the  charge.  I 
regard  it  as  a  falsehood,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  it 
will  turn  out  to  be  so.  If  this  should  prove  to  be 
the  case,  the  proceedings  at  Metropolitan  Hall  will 
reflect  but  little  credit  on  those  who  sanctioned  and 
took  part  in  them.  Observe,  I  do  not  doubt  the 
truth  of  the  statement  that  the  Madiai  '  possessed 
and  read  their  Bible,'  but  I  do  doubt  and  deny  that 
for  this  alone,  they  were  tried  and  condemned  to 
prison.  I  must  observe  at  the  same  time,  that  I 
have  no  knowledge  of  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
except  what  has  come  under  the  notice  of  every  one 
who  has  read  the  newspapers  of  the  day  concerning 
it.  I  have  come  to  this  conclusion  on  grounds  of 
probability,  which  to  my  mind  are  not  less  strong  in 


PROCEEDINGS      IN     AMERICA.  241 

their  aggregate  than  positive  and  direct  testimony. 
Fir^it — There  is  no  law  in  Tuscany  against  'pos- 
sessing and  reading  the  Bible.'  Second — Even  if 
there  was  such  a  law,  it  is  impossible  that  the  Ma- 
diai  should  have  been  convicted  under  it,  inasmuch 
as,  in  their  very  prison,  they  are  allowed  to  '  possess 
and  read  their  Bible.'  It  is  not  probable  that  any 
country  would  punish  an  offender  for  a  crime,  and 
yet  allow  them  to  continue,  during  the  penalty,  in 
the  commission  of  the  same.  For  instance,  in  our 
own  courts,  men  convicted  of  forgery  are  not  allowed 
to  carry  on  the  trade  in  the  State's  Prison.  I  think 
that  these  reflections  will  satisfy  any  candid  mind 
that  the  Madiai  arc  not  condemned  solely^  for  the 
crime  of  '  possessing  and  reading  the  Bible.'  And 
if  they  are  not  condemned  solely  for  this,  it  follows 
that  the  proceedings  at  Metropolitan  Hall  are  found- 
ed on  positive  flilsehood.  This  circumstance,  how- 
ever, was  not  thought  worthy  of  consideration,  and 
the  truth  would  have  been  rather  a  detriment  than 
an  advantage  to  the  purpose  of  the  meeting.  The 
impression  intended  to  be  made  by  the  speakers  on 
that  occasion  was  that  the  Government  of  Tuscan )> , 
the  Jesuits,  the  Pope,  and  the  members  of  the  Cath 
olic  Church  throughout  the  world  have  a  mortal 
dread  of  the  Bible.  This  would  be  strange  indeed. 
To  them,  the  book,  the  New  Testament  at  least, 
was  originally  given  in  manuscript  by  its  inspired 
authors.  They  have  been  its  witnesses  and  its  guar- 
21 


242  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

dians  from  the  beginning.  It  has  been  recognized 
and  used  by  them  as,  in  so  far  as  it  goes,  a  dupli- 
cate in  parchment  of  the  doctrines  which  our  Sa- 
viour had  inscribed  with  a  pencil  of  divine  fire  in  cha- 
racters of  living  faith  on  the  heart  of  the  Church,  The 
art  of  printing  facilitated  its  diffusion,  and  the  Church 
availed  herself,  with  eagerness,  of  that  art  for  the 
purpose  of  multiplying  copies  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. Numerous  editions  of  the  Bible  were  pub- 
lished in  the  principal  languages  of  Europe  under 
the  patronage  of  Popes,  Cardinals  and  Bishops,  long 
before  Protestantism  came  into  being.  The  Italians 
were  well  acquainted  with  the  Bible  in  their  own 
beautiful  language  before  Martin  Luther  was  born. 
The  first  Italian  edition  was  published  in  Venice  in 
the  year  1471,  and  forty  successive  editions  were 
published  in  the  different  cities  of  Italy  anterior  to 
the  date  of  the  Protestant  translation  which  was  pub- 
lished, not  in  Italy,  but  in  Geneva,  in  the  year  1562. 
In  the  very  year  of  American  Independence  the 
Arch-bishop  of  Florence  brought  out  another  trans- 
lation, for  which  he  received  the  special  thanks  of 
Pope  Pius  VI.  In  our  own  country,  the  Catholics 
have  published  not  less  than  twenty  or  twenty-five 
editions  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  of  every  size,  from 
the  folio  down  to  the  octavo,  many  of  which  are 
stereotyped.  Is  it  not  surprising  then  that  our  Pro- 
testant neighbors  will  persist  in  supposing  that  we 
are  afraid  of  our  own  original  and  hereditary  docu- 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  243 

ments  that  have  never  been  out  of  our  possession  ! 
Connected  with  the  case  of  the  Madiai,  a  new 
national  policy  has  been  broached  in  the  Senate  of 
the  L'nited  States,  by  no  less  distinguished  a  Senator 
than  General  Cass.  This  policy,  with  which  the  gen- 
tlemen at  Metropolitan  Hall  appeared  to  be  very 
familiar,  purports  to  us  a  vindication  of  the  rights  of 
conscience,  to  be  secured  to  all  American  citizens,  in 
whatever  countries  they  may  choose  to  travel  or  so- 
journ. The  ground  on  which  this  policy  is  advanced 
is  that  in  this  country  strangers  of  every  nation  are 
allowed  to  exercise  their  religion  as  their  conscience 
may  dictate,  and  therefore  in  all  other  countries 
Americans  have  the  right  to  claim  and  exercise  a 
similar  privilege.  It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to 
observe  that  freedom  of  conscience  which  is  here  con- 
tended for  is  inviolable  in  its  very  nature  and  es- 
sence. To  say  that  any  man  or  any  nation  has 
either  physical  or  moral  power  to  destroy  freedom 
of  conscience,  is  to  give  utterance  to  a  patent  ab- 
surdity. Conscience  without  freedom  is  not  con- 
science, but  for  this  very  reason  the  freedom  of  con- 
science is  beyond  the  reach  of  man's  power.  God 
has  provided  in  the  human  soul  a  fortress  to  which 
it  can  retreat,  and  from  which  it  can  hurl  defiance 
against  all  invaders.  I  presume,  therefore,  that  there 
is  a  confusion  of  ideas  in  the  mmds  of  those  who, 
with  Gen.  Cass,  plead  eloquently  for  that  which  re- 
quires no  pleadmg,  namely,  freedom  of  conscience. ' 


244  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

That  is  universal — that  is  indestructible — that  is  in- 
violable. They  must  be  understood  to  mean  liberty 
of  external  action  according  to  conscience,  which  is 
quite  a  different  thing.  This  external  liberty  of  ac- 
tion, according  to  conscience,  in  all  countries,  is  regu- 
lated to  a  certain  extent  by  the  enactment  of  positive 
laws.  In  some  countries  the  range  is  wider,  in 
others  more  restricted  ;  but  it  is  limited  in  all,  not 
even  excepting  the  United  States.  The  liberty  of 
conscience  which  is  recognized  and  applauded  in 
Connecticut  will  not  be  tolerated  (on  certain  sub- 
jects) in  South  Carolina  or  in  Alabama.  The  Mor- 
mons have  been  obliged  to  seek  retirement  in  Dese- 
ret  in  order  to  enjoy  what  they  call  liberty  of  con- 
science. And  the  liberty  which  they  there  enjoy 
would  not  be  allowed  them  under  the  toleration  of 
the  laws  of  New-York.  Is  it  expected  then,  in  the 
project  of  Gen.  Cass,  that  they,  too,  shall  have  the 
privilege  of  exercising  liberty  of  conscience  in  their 
peregrinations  among  foreign  States  ! 

Again,  the  assumption  of  General  Cass  is  a  fal- 
lacy. He  assumes  that  the  freedom  of  religion  in 
this  country  is  a  boon^  conceded  by  Protestant  libe- 
rality to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land.  This  is  not 
so.  It  is  a  privilege  which  was  won  by  the  good 
swords  of  Catholics  and  Protestants  in  the  battles 
for  National  Independence.  It  is  a  common  right, 
therefore,  and  is  not  to  be  regarded  as  a  concession 
■  from  one  to  the  other.   This  arrangement,  in  regard 


PROCEEDINGS      IN    AMERICA.  245 

to  liberty  of  conscience,  suited  the  policy  of  the 
country,  and  was  absolutely  indispensable  after  the 
revolutionary  war.  Does  General  Cass  mean  to  say, 
that  because  it  suited  us,  all  other  nations  must  adopt 
it,  whether  it  suits  them  or  notl  As  well  might 
England  say,  that  because  it  suited  her  finances  to 
adopt  Free  Trade,  she  will  insist  upon  it  that  all 
other  nations  shall  do  the  same.  Gen.  Cass  knows 
as  well  as  any  man  living,  that  until  this  country 
becomes  vastly  stronger,  and  foreign  States  much 
weaker  than  they  are,  all  pleadings  on  this  sul)jcct 
will  be  treated  as  drivelling  by  foreign  States.  Oh, 
if  you  have  a  mind  to  arrange  the  constitutions  and 
laws  of  European  States  by  the  power  of  armies  and 
navies,  that  indeed  is  another  matter.  But  the  United 
States  will  expose  themselves  to  ridicule  if  they  drag 
in  such  a  question  into  their  diplomatic  intercourse 
with  foreign  governments. 

It  is  a  recognised  principle  in  this  country  that 
every  sovereign  and  independent  nation  has  the  right 
to  adopt  its  own  constitution  and  laws.  The  consti- 
tution and  laws  of  a  country  are  but  the  ajzgregato 
of  general  principles  applicable  to  the  peculiar  situa- 
tion,  protection  and  welfore  of  the  citizens  or  subjects 
of  which  it  is  composed.  They  may  be  regarded  as 
the  public  and  permanent  expression  of  the  aggregaU 
conscience  of  that  State.  Thus,  without  going  out  oi 
our  o\K\\  country,  Massachusetts  has  one  form  o\ 
public  ^^^nscience,  Louisiana  has  another.    Does  Mr. 


246  STORY     OF      THE     MADIAI. 

Cass  mean  to  say  that  an  obolitionist  from  Boston, 
under  the  plea  of  liberty  of  conscience,  still  has  the 
right  U  talk  in  New  Orleans,  and  preach,  and 
harangue,  and  write,  and  publish,  on  the  subject  of 
Slavery  as  he  might  choose  to  do  in  Faneuil  Hall? 
If  not,  I  would  say,  with  all  respect,  that  the  policy 
in  regard  to  this  subject,  which  General  Cass  advo- 
cates in  the  Senate,  is  calculated  to- have  no  practical 
effect,  either  at  home  or  abroad,  except  to  stir  up 
sectarian  animosities  against  his  Catholic  fellow-citi- 
zens, and  this  is  hardly  worthy  of  his  patriotic  ser- 
vices, advanced  age,  or  accumulated  honors. 

Indeed,  I  am  quite  persuaded  that  the  country  has 
lowered  itself  in  dignity,  if  it  be  true,  as  the  newspa- 
pers have  stated,  that  the  President,  through  Secre- 
tary Everett,  has  become  a  petitioner,  side  by  side 
with  Lord  Roden,  and  taken  his  place  of  expectation 
and  hope  in  the  ante-chamber  of  the  Grand  Duke  of 
Tuscany.  The  supreme  government  of  this  country 
ought  not  to  stoop  to  an  investigation,  however 
sacred  may  be  the  occasion,  of  a  political  trial  in  the 
petty  States  of  Italy.  In  doing  so,  it  exposes  itself 
to  humiliation  and  rebuke  without  redress.  The 
Grand  Duke  can  easily  ask  Mr.  Secretary  Everett 
certain  questions  about  the  liberty  of  conscience  in 
this  country,  which  the  latter  would  find  himself  ex- 
ceedingly puzzled  to  answer.  If  the  Grand  Duke  or 
his  Minister  should  ask  Mr.  Everett  whether  liberty 
of  conscience  is  recognized  in  the  United  States  as 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.         247 

unlimited — the  same  in  one  State  as  in  another — the 
Secretary  will  have  to  reply,  "  No."  If  the  same  in- 
terrogator should  ask  Mr.  Everett  what  became  of 
the  helpless  female  inmates  of  a  certain  Convent  in 
Charlestown,  near  Boston,  who  were  driven  out  with- 
out accusation,  or  trial,  or  condemnation  before  any 
civil  tribunal ;  expelled  from  their  peaceful  home  in 
the  depths  of  night,  their  house  and  furniture  com- 
mitted to  the  tlames.  Can  Mr.  Everett  tell  what 
happened  to  them  afterwards  1  Again  the  Secretary 
would  have  to  answer,  "  No."  Did  the  State  of 
Massachusetts  make  any  compensation  to  these  per- 
sons for  the  destruction  of  their  property,  or  the 
violation  of  their  rights'?  Mr.  Everett  would  have 
to  answer,  "No."  Is  the  State  of  Massachusetts 
bound  to  protect  the  individual  rights  of  her  citizens? 
Mr.  Everett  would  have  to  answer,  "  Yes,"  in  theory; 
in  practice,  in  this  case,  at  least,  "  No."  How,  then, 
it  might  further  be  asked,  do  you  pretend  that  liberty 
of  conscience  is  extended  to  all  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States'?  Is  there  any  practical  difference  be- 
tween the  social  intolerance  which  prevails  in  your 
country,  where  there  are  so  many  religions,  and  the 
legal  intolerance  of  our  dominions,  where  there  is  but 
one?  It  seems  to  me  that  the  Secretary  of  the 
United  States,  who  has  it  not  in  his  power  to  give 
different  answers  to  questions  such  as  these,  rather 
exposes  himself  and  his  native  State,  if  not  his  coun- 
try, by  going  all  t^e  way  to  Florence  to  plead  for 


248  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

liberty  of  conscience,  while  such  violations  of  its 
rights  have  been  perpetrated  and  left  unrecompensed 
at  his  own  door.  Other  violations  of  liberty  of  con- 
science in  different  parts  of  the  country  are  by  no 
means  rare  in  our  history.  They  occurred  in  Phila- 
delphia, where  churches  and  convents  were  burned 
to  ashes  by  the  intolerance  of  the  mob.  There  is 
this,  however,  to  be  said  in  extenuation,  that  at  least, 
if  the  civil  authorities  of  Pennsylvania  did  not  pro- 
tect its  citizens  from  these  outrages,  it  allowed  com- 
pensation for  the  damage  done  to  their  property.  I 
fear  much  that  social  intolerance  is  not  to  be  ascribed 
so  much  to  the  principles  of  any  religion,  as  to  the 
diseased  moral  nature  which  is  the  common  inheri- 
tance of  us  all.  The  evidence  of  this  can  be  discovered 
no  less  in  the  United  States  than  elsewhere.  There 
is  among  us  a  superabundance  of  social  and  domestic 
intolerance,  in  despite  of  those  laws  of  religious  free- 
dom of  which  we  are  so  ready  to  boast,  but  which 
unfortunately  have  no  power  to  protect  the  object  of 
that  intolerance.  Is  it  rare  that  poor  servants  are 
driven  out  from  their  employment,  because  they  will 
not,  against  their  conscience,  join  the  domestic  reli- 
gion "of  State,"  which  the  family  has  made  exclusive? 
Is  it  unusual  to  hear  of  men  disinheriting  their  own 
offspring  for  no  cause  except  that  of  practising  their 
acknowledged  rights  of  conscience  ?  These  are  matters 
with  which  we  are  made  too  familiar,  notwithstanding 
our  boasted  rights  and  liberty  of  conscience. 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  249 

I.  have  oflorcd  these  remarks  not  in  any  spirit  of 
controversy,  but  in  the  spirit  of  peace  and  of  truth. 
There  are  moments  when  every  citizen  who  feels 
that  he  can  say  something,  promotive  of  the  welfare 
of  his  countrymen,  and  of  advantage  to  his  country, 
is  authorized  to  give  public  utterance  to  his  senti- 
ments, however  humble  soever  he  may  be.  With 
such  a  feeling,  I  offer  the  foregoing  reflections  to  the 
consideration  of  my  fellow-citizens  for  w^hat  they  are 
worth — no  more. 

t  JOHN,  Archbishop  of  New-York. 


Replies  to  Archbishop  Hughes. 

CHAPTER  III. 
Mr.  Phelps'  Letter. 

In  America  it  would  be  ruinous  to  Popery  and 
the  prospects  of  its  Priesthood  to  have  their  hostility 
to  the  people's  possession,  and  use  of  the  Bible, 
generally  kno^\^l.  To  conceal  this  hostility,  the 
chief  cause  of  the  persecution  of  the  Madiai  was  an 
important  object  in  the  Archbishop's  letter ;  and  the 
language  employed  in  it  was  so  artfully  arranged  as 
to  imply  that  the  Papacy  had  always  cherished  the 
Scriptures,  and  amply  provided  for  their  general 
distributions,  and  that  no  obstacle  existed  to  their- 
unrestricted  circulation  and  use  in  Italy  at  the  pre 


250  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

sent  time.  Therefore,  on  the  23d  of  February,  five 
days  after  its  publication,  the  following  letter,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Archbishop  by  the  gentleman  whose 
name  it  bears,  was  published  in  various  newspapers 
in  the  city  of  New-York,  and  also  in  a  number  of 
other  cities  of  the  United  States.  But  it  failed  to 
procure  from  him,  or  any  of  the  authorities  of  the 
Papal  church,  the  desired  information — and  this 
failure,  on  their  part,  must  necessarily  be  regarded 
as  a  cautioned  acknowledgement  that  the  Bible  can 
NOT  be  distributed  among,  and  read  by  the  people 
in  Italy,  with  the  approbation  of  the  Papal  powers. 
But  we  subjoin  the  letter : — 

"  Tlie  Madiai  Meeting  at  Metropolitan  Hall 

**  To  Rev.  Archbishop  Hughes  : 

"  Sir, — As  one  of  the  Committee  engaged  in 
making  arrangements  for  the  '  Madiai  Meeting '  in 
Metropolitan  Hall,  I  beg  leave  to  call  attention  to  a 
statement  in  your  letter,  that  the  occasion  was  made 
use  of  '  to  denounce  our  Catholic  fellow-citizens  in 
this  country  ;'  '  to  inaugurate  a  Protestant  crusade 
against  our  Catholic  fellow-citizens.'  Reports  of  all 
the  speeches  made  on  the  occasion  are  easily  acces- 
sible, and  prove  that  anything  more  false  than  this 
accusation  was  never  stated  by  any  authority,  cleri- 
cal or  laical.  The  principal  speakers  used  nothing 
but  the  kindest  and  most  respectful  language  in  re- 
gard to  our  Catholic  fellow-citizens,  and  urged  them 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  251 

to  join  with  us  in  denouncing  and  petitioning  against 
all  such  outrageous  tyranny  and  injustice  as  that 
practiced  upon  this  poor  family,  for  conscience  sake. 
Every  honorable  man,  of  the  thousands  present  at 
the  meeting,  will  testify  to  this  fact,  and  it  will  re- 
quire something  more  than  your  bare  assertion  to 
convince  the  intelligent  and  respectable  of  your  o^v^l 
community  of  its  falsity. 

"  It  is  true  that  a  good  deal  of  laughter  was  ex- 
cited by  the  extracts  read  by  one  of  the  speakers 
from  your  unfortunate  lecture  on  the  subject  of 
'Civil  and  Religious  Freedom,'  delivered  in  the 
same  Hall ;  but  it  was  all  in  good  humor,  and  at 
your  expense. 

"  In  regard  to  your  statement  that  '  the  art  of 
prmting  facilitates  the  diffusion  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, and  that  the  Church  avails  herself  with  eager- 
ness of  that  art  for  the  purpose  of  multiplying  copies 
of  them,'  we  beg  leave  to  ask  you  which  translation 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  into  the  Italian  language  is 
acceptable  to  the  Church,  and  sure  to  meet  with  the 
'  pa»tronage  of  Popes,  Cardinals  and  Bishops  V  and 
we  pledge  ourselves  to  print  a  large  edition  of 
tliis  translation,  and  send  it  to  Italy  for  gratuitous 
distribution.  Wo  wait  anxiously  a  reply  to  this 
inquiry,  as  our  otTer  is  made  in  perfect  good  faith, 
and  we  shall  be  glad  to  get  your  guarantee  against 
the  pecuniary  risks  of  our  enterprise. 

"  Anson  G.  Puelps,  Jr." 


252  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

Reply  hy  an  Officer  of  the  Amer.  ^  For.  Christian  Union. 

Tlie  unmistakable  evidence  of  sympathy  on  the 
part  of  the  Popish  Priests,  in  tliis  country,  with  the 
Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  and  their  approbation  of 
his  oppressive  acts,  gave  a  new  view  of  Popery,  and 
its  spirit,  to  many  Americans,  and  forced  deep  and 
abiding  convictions  upon  them  in  regard  to  it,  which, 
previously,  they  had  not  entertained.  In  consequence 
of  this  the  letter  of  the  Archbishop  received  a  more 
general  attention  than  would  otherwise  have  been 
given  to  it ;  and  several  replies  of  an  interesting 
Gharacter  touchmg  different  parts  were  published,  in 
•Jiiferent  places.  The  following,  exposing  its  mis- 
f  epresentations  and  sophistries,  is  more  full  than  was 
warranted  by  the  objects  which  the  writer  of  the 
preceding  one  had  in  view ;  and  was  published  on 
the  2d  of  March,  one  week  later,  in  the  New- York 
Daily  Times,  one  of  the  journals  through  which  the 
Archbishof>  had  given  his  communication  to  the 
public.  If  it  is  severe,  it  is  so  by  reason  of  its 
iTuthfulness. 

The  Archbishop  has  not  answered  the  calls  nfade 
on  him  in  it ;  and  his  silence  is  necessarily  regarded 
as  an  acknowledgment  of  his  inability  to  make 
good  some  of  his  affirmations,  or  to  defend  the  po- 
sitions he  had  taken.     But  we  subjoin  the  letter  : 

To  the  Rev.  John  Hughes, 

PLoman  Catholic  Archbishop  of  New  York, 

Dear  Sir, — In  your  remarkable  letter  of  the 


PROCEEDINGS     IN      AMERICA.  253 

18th  inst.  upon  the  subject  'of  the  Madiai  meeting,' 
held  in  the  INIetropolitan  Hall,  in  this  city,  in  Janu- 
ary last,  and  '  the  proceedings  in  the  United  States,' 
you  say :  '  There  are  moments  when  every  citizen 
who  feels  that  he  can  say  something  promotive  of 
the  welfare  of  his  countrymen,  and  of  advantage  to 
his  country,  is  authorized  to  give  public  utterance  to 
his  sentiments,  however  humble  he  may  be;'  and 
you  offer  it  in  justification  of  what  you  had  the^ 
^vritten.  You  will  accept  it,  I  trust,  as  my  justifica- 
tion in  addressing  to  you  the  present  communica- 
tion. 

I  have  read  your  letter  attentively,  and  cannot 
but  regret  that  you  were  induced  by  any  considera- 
tion whatever  to  send  it  forth  into  the  community, 
conveying,  as  it  does,  the  impression  that  you  re- 
gard  its  sentiments  as  verities,  and  the  belief  ot 
them,  to  be  promotive  of  the  welfare  of  the  people. 
For,  with  all  impartial  readers,  it  must  necessarily 
affect  their  estimate  both  of  your  head  and  your 
heart,  very  unhappily ;  and  also  do  much  to  destroy 
the  hope  which  many  had  of  late  entertained,  in  re 
gard  to  the  Church  of  which  you  are  an  honored 
minister,  and  in  regard  to  yourself  as  a  friend  of  re- 
ligious  freedom,  according  to  statements  from  youi 
pen  made  not  a  great  while  ago. 

"  It  was  hoped  that  the  progress  of  the  Nine 
teenth  Century,  in  literature,  arts,  science,  and  civili- 
zation, had  produced  many  and  important  changes 


254  STORY      OP     THE     MADIAI. 

in  the  dogmas  and  practices  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church;  and  especially,  that  the  intolerance  which 
distinguished  it  in  the  '  dark  ages '  had  given  place 
to  what  was  more  worthy  of  the  Christian  name. 
But  the  spirit  of  your  letter,  the  things  you  have 
chosen  to  say,  and  the  manner  in  which  you  have 
executed  the  whole  document,  make  it  quite  certain 
that  it  is  vain  to  hope,  in  regard  either  to  yourself  as 
iffi  American  citizen,  or  in  regard  to  Roman  Catholi- 
cism as  a  religion,  adapted  to  do  good  to  this  or  any 
other  land. 

"  No  one,  on  reading  your  letter,  can  avoid  the 
conviction,  that  you  descend  from  your  high  posi- 
tion, and  duties  as  a  minister  of  religion,  who  should 
'  study  the  things  which  make  for  peace,'  to  do  the 
work  which,  if  uncorrected  by  other  hands,  must  re- 
sult in  strifes,  and  hatreds,  and  divisions,  and  other 
evils.  But  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  your  movements 
and  Romanism  too,  will  be  understood,  and  that 
what  now  see7ns  to  be  your  purpose,  will  be  thwarted. 

"  You  sneer  at  England,  in  the  reference  you 
make  to  her  '  aristocracy, ' '  nobility,'  and  '  gentry,' — • 
and  your  rudeness,  not  to  say  insult,  to  Americans 
in  the  affirmation  that,  in  their  movements  to  pro- 
mote benevolent  objects  they  are  merely  '  imitators 
of  the  English  aristocracy,'  might  perhaps  have  been 
expected  from  a  Roman  Catholic  less  enlightened 
than  yourself,  and  in  the  heat  of  controversy — but 
they  were  not  to  have  been  expected  from  you.  They 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  255 

are,  howevar,  deliberately  put  forth,  and  they  seem 
designed  to  create  and  to  foster  unhappy  feelings. 
England,  [  know,  indeed,  has  declared  for,  and  de- 
fended the  rights  of  conscience,  the  unrestricted  cir- 
culation and  use  of  the  Holy  Bible,  and  constitution- 
al Government,  too  firmly,  and  faithfully,  to  hope 
for  favor  from  Romanists  in  Continental  Europe,  or 
in  any  Roman  Catholic  country  ;  but  you  are  ui  the 
United  States,  the  land  of  Liberty,  and  it  was  natu- 
ral to  expect  you  to  give  your  influence,  whatever  it 
might  be,  to  the  cause  of  freedom,  and  also  that  you 
would  treat  with  decency  and  respect  all  your  fellow 
citizens.     But  we  are  disappointed. 

"  There  is  no  '  aristocracy  '  known  in  America ; 
and  yet  you  speak  of  such  a  class  as  actually  existing 
here,  and  you  affirm,  that  the  '  call  of  the  meeting  ' 
originated  in  a  disposition  to  *  imitate  the  English 
Aristocracy.'  This  representation  is  very  unhappy. 
The  meeting  was  not  called  in  connexion  with  the 
meetings  held  in  Europe  on  the  subject,  nor  in  con- 
sequence of  them.  It  was  called  by  reason  of  the 
claims  which  suffering  humanity  urged,  and  also 
which  members  of  the  Christian  Church,  imprisoned 
by  a  tyrant,  simply  fbr  reading  the  Bible,  have  on 
the  sympathy  and  kind  offices  of  all  Christians.  The 
meeting  was  purely  American  in  its  origin,  and  in 
everything  that  distinguished  it. 

"  But  suppose  it  was  called  in  'imitation  '  of  what 
had  been  done  in  England.     Is  '  a  philanthropic  and 


256  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

benevolent  object  less  valuable  because  Englishmen 
may  have  moved ^rs?  in  regard  to  it?  Certainly  not. 
Your  philosophy  is  defective ;  and  your  sneer  and 
mis-statements  are  not  convincing.  If  an  object  is 
worthy,  no  matter  what  nation  or  people  move  first 
in  promoting  it,  all  should  seek  to  advance  it  by  all 
the  means  in  their  power. 

"  But  it  is  particularly  painful  to  see  you  forget 
the  proprieties  of  your  position,  and  of  Christian 
character  upon  so  small  a  matter  as  the  non-estab- 
lishment, in  this  country,  of  what  are  termed  in  Eng- 
land "  Bagged  Schools,'  and  appeal,  in  the  flippant 
manner  you  do,  to  God,  whose  name  we  are  forbid- 
den '  to  take  in  vain.'  Why  should  you  become  ex- 
cited 1  Do  you  desire  their  establishment,  and  the 
introduction  of  grades '  and  '  classes '  among  our  peo- 
ple 1  I  know  it  is  thought  by  some,  that  your  sympa- 
thies for  the  peculiarities  of  European  Governments 
are  of  late  grown  very  strong  ;  but  these  should  not 
lead  you  to  such  use  as  you  make  of  the  name  of 
God.  It  savors  more  of  the  feelings  and  manners  of 
the  irreligious  and  profane,  than  of  those  of  the  pious, 
and  especially  of  a  Teacher  of  religion.  You  say 
that  you  wrote  '  for  the  welfare  of  your  countrymen 
and  the  advantage  of  your  country ;'  but  these  can- 
not be  promoted  by  such  examples  of  profaneness  in 
the  ministers  of  religion.  If,  therefore,  you  have  oc- 
casion to  write  again,  I  beg  you  to  be  more  careful 
m  tliis  respect.     Rude  and  uncalled  for  appeals  to 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  257 

••Heaven,'  add  nothing  to  the  weight  and  influence  of 
an  argument,  while  their  omission  is  much  more  be- 
coming the  pen  and  heart  of  one  who  is  invested 
with  the  ofiice  of  an  Archbishop. 

"  But  1  must  call  your  attention  to  your  affirma- 
tions respecting  what  you  call  the  purpose  of  the 
meeting,'  and  its  'proceedings.'  You  affirm  that 
'  the  purpose  of  the  meeting '  was  '  to  shut  off  all 
free  discussion,  and  to  excite  an  unkind,  uncharita- 
ble and  bitter  Protestant  feeling  against  the  Catho- 
lics of  the  United  States  and  of  the  world.'  You 
say,  also,  '  the  proceedings  were  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  purpose.' 

"  In  making  these  affirmations  you  doubtless  un- 
derstood your  position,  and  you  will,  if  called  upon, 
demonstrate  their  truth ;  or,  failing  to  do  it,  consent 
to  be  regarded  as  a  slanderer.  We  are  constrained 
to  call  on  you  for  proof;  for  we  must  and  do  deny 
your  statements  to  be  true.  The  '  purpose '  of  the 
meeting  was  as  expressed  in  the  'Call.'  It  was  'to 
express  sympathy  for  the  suffering  Madiai,  and  to 
devise  measures  for  their  relief;'  and  this  was  the 
controling  idea  of  the  occasion,  as  thousands  of  the 
most  reliable  persons  who  were  present  will  testify. 
'The  proceedings'  were  not  as  you  represent  them 
to  have  been ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  Romanists  were  ple^aded  for,  and  the 
defence  of  them,  against  all  usurpation  and  tyranny, 
pledged  by  the  meeting  with  as  much  earnestness 


258  STORY      OF    THE    MADIAI. 

and  good  feeling  as  were  those  of  the  Protestants ; 
and  you,  and  all  Romanists  in  the  community  were 
kindly  and  earnestly  called  upon,  to  unite  with  us 
in  this  effort  to  advance  the  cause  of  religious  free- 
dom. You  made  no  favorable  response.  You  re- 
fused to  codperate  in  so  humane  and  noble  a  work ; 
but  a  representative  of  your  denomination  who, 
during  the  progress  of  the  meeting  occupied  him- 
self, at  times,  in  '  hissing '  and  in  other  unworthy 
exercises,  was  put  forward  to  disturb,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, to  break  it  up  and  to  destroy  its  good  effects. 
How  many  were  associated  with  him,  and  placed  in 
various  parts  of  the  Hall  ready  to  act  at  a  given 
signal,  I  do  not  know.  It  is  sufficient  for  me  to 
know  that  the  effort  was  ineffectual.  The  plan  did 
not  succeed. 

"  And  why  do  you  now  complain,  and  berate  the 
conductors  of  that- meeting,  as  though  some  wrong 
had  been  inflicted  by  them  on  you,  or  on  Roman 
Catholics "?  If  you  are  a  friend  of  religious  freedom, 
you  were  invited  to  attend  the  meeting,  in  common 
with  all  others.  Did  you  attend'?  If  not — ^why  nof? 
If  you  were  present  in  the  Hall,  as  some  say  you 
were,  why  did  you  not  come  forward,  when  a  kind 
public  invitation  was  given  to  you,  and  thus  prove 
your  friendship  to  the  cause,  and  also,  to  the  unre- 
stricted circulation  and  use  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  ? 
But  I  will  not  urge  you  to  answer,  why.  An  an< 
swer  might  force  you  to  tell  a  terrible  truth,  which 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  259 

millions,  m  this  land,  are  now  beginning  to  believe, 
by  reason  of  the  course  which  you,  and  other  leaders 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  are  pursuing.  It 
might  force  you  to  say  that  you  are  a  Jesuit,  and 
the  subject  of  a  foreign  Prince,  who  has  nothing 
more  at  heart  than  the  embarrassment  of  our  Re- 
public, in  which  men  are  encouraged  to  act  and  to 
think  for  themselves, — and  further,  that  you  are 
bound,  by  vows  you  have  taken,  to  carry  out  the 
'  Instructions,'  received  from  that  Prince  to  promote 
Romanism,  whatever  may  become  of  all  other  inte- 
rests. This  would  be  a  terrible  confession ;  but  still, 
if  you  were  governed  by  the  truth,  you  might  pos- 
sibly have  to  make  it.  Would  it  not  be  so  1  Manj 
do  more  than  suspect  it. 

"  But  when  you  wrote  your  letter,  you  probably 
would  have  answered  as  to  your  nonattendance,  by 
saying,  that  you  did  not  believe  that  the  Madiai 
were  imprisoned  for  '  reading  the  Scriptures.'  You 
said  so  then.  But  you  will  hardly  say  it  now,  be- 
cause it  cannot  be  supposed  that  you  failed  to  read, 
in  the  New-York  Herald  of  the  19th  inst.  a  full  re- 
port of  the  trial,  derived  from  Italian  sources,  which 
was  printed  by  the  side  of  your  letter,  and  which 
confirmed  the  popular  opinion  on  the  subject,  and 
exposed,  in  a  number  of  instances,  the  misrepresen- 
tations which  your  letter  contamed.  But  this  report 
contained  no  facts  that  we  had  not  from  reliable 


260  STORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

sources  before.  Your  refusal  to  cooperate,  seems  to 
involve  more  than  unbelief. 

"  You  are  doubtless  right,  in  saying  that  '  the 
Roman  Catholics,  in  this  country,  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  trial  and  imprisonment  of  the  Madiai ;'  and 
had  they  been  '  denounced  on  account  of  it,'  you 
would  have  been  right  in  proposing,  as  you  do,  the 
inquiry :  W  hether  any  good  could  result  from  de- 
nouncing them  in  public  meetings,  for  an  act  which 
they  had  not  power,  either  to  accomplish  or  pre- 
vent V  But  they  were  not  denounced,  and  your  in- 
sinuation is  highly  improper,  indeed  morally  Avrong, 
and  unless  you  can  make  the  truth  of  it  to  appear, 
it  must  react  upon  yourself  very  disadvantageously. 
The  community  must  entertain  such  notions  of  your 
honor  and  truthfulness,  as  are  forced  upon  them  by 
the  course  you  pursue. 

"  I  do  not  deny  that  the  system  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion,  and  its  Hierarchy,  are  denounced 
in  America,  and  of  late  with  much  more  severity 
than  formerly;  because  its  unscriptural  character, 
and  oppressive  tendencies,  are  now  more  openly 
avowed,  and  better  understood ;  but  the  Laity ^  who 
have  been  deluded  by  the  System  and  its  Priest- 
hood, have  not  been  denounced.  On  the  contrary, 
they  have  shared  largely  in  the  sympathies  of  Ame- 
rican Protestants,  who  in  a  great  variety  of  ways 
have  proved  their  kindness  of  feeling  towards  them, 
and  their  readiness  to  afford  them  relief;  and  I  am 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  261 

happy  to  be  able  to  inform  you,  that  very  many 
Roman  Catholics  have  availed  themselves  of  this 
friendly  disposition,  and  are  now  happy  in  the  en- 
joyment of  Protestant  freedom.  Multitudes  more, 
we  trust,  will  soon  imitate  their  example,  and  enjoy 
like  happiness. 

"But  to  another  point ; — your  apparent  painful 
anxiety,  that  '  religion '  should  be  separated  from 
'  civil  and  social  rights  ;"  and  that  everything  adapted 
to  alienate  the  various  denominations  in  the  country 
should  be  avoided ;  because  the  entire  strength  of 
the  nation,  as  you  intimate,  may,  at  some  future 
day,  be  needed  for  its  protection.  That '  the  future 
of  this  country  may  reveal  dangers  from  foreign 
enemies ;'  and  the  influences  of  some  who  consent 
to  be  their  tools,  though  they  dwell  with  us  and 
have  the  favor  of  citizenship,  no  intelligent  person, 
who  has  carefully  observed  the  course  of  things  for 
some  years  past,  perhaps,  entertains  a  doubt.  But 
it  seems  strange  to  those  who  have  observed  your 
course,  and  that  of  other  leaders  in  the  Roman  Ca- 
tholic ranks,  that  you  should  venture  to  read  a 
homily  to  the  American  Protestant  community  on 
this  topic.  What  a  pity  you  had  not  thought  of 
this  grave  matter  before,  and  taken  '  the  beam  from 
your  own  eye  before  you  attempted  to  take  the 
mote '  from  the  eyes  of  Protestants  !  It  would  have 
saved  a  vast  amo«nt  of  outlay,  on  the  part  of  Roman 
Catholics,  m  the  form  of  Lyceums,  Institutes,  Public 


262  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

Lectures,  impassioned  orations,  newspaper  articles, 
'circulars'  from  Councils,  and  such  like  things,  by 
which  it  has  been  sought  to  bring  Roman  Catholics 
into  direct  and  bitter  antagonism  with  other  classes 
of  citizens.  It  would  have  prevented  also  that  vio- 
lent onset  that  is  now  made  by  Roman  Catholics  in 
all  sections  of  the  United  States  against  our  common 
school  system,  and  also  that  bitterness  of  feeling 
which  manifests  itself  against  various  American  in- 
stitutions, and  Americans  themselves,  in  the  coarse 
and  vulgar  threats  with  which,  at  least,  some  Roman 
Catholic  periodicals  are  partially  filled.  When  read- 
ing us  this  homily  on  cultivating  Ivind  and  respectful 
feelings,  and  doing  '  the  things  which  make  for  peace ' 
and  unity  in  the  land,  had  you  forgotten  your  own 
course  ?  Or  did  you  suppose  that  Protestants  had 
forgotten  it  1  They  cannot  forget  it  so  easily.  And 
I  will  venture  to  predict,  that  if  the  course  which 
you  and  your  associates  have  pursued  on  these  mat- 
ters, for  some  time  past,  is  7iot  abandoned,  and  sub- 
stituted by  one  more  kind  and  respectful  to  public 
sentiment  and  feeling^  and  the  laws  of  the  land^  you 
will,  for  yourselves  and  your  denomination,  destroy 
that  respect  and  good  feeling  which  others  desire  to 
cherish  towards  you.  You  may  in  time  occasion  the 
rise  throughout  this  country,  which  is  sacred  to  li- 
berty— civil  and  religious — of  a  Protestant  party, 
with  a  view  to  vindicate  and  sustahi  American  prin- 
ciples, and  our  legalized  and  valued  institutions. 


PROCEEDINGS    IN    AMERICA.  263 

against  Roman  Catholic  violence  and  abuse.  It  is 
earnestly  hoped  that  you  will  not  press  matters  to 
this  result.  Protestants,  I  am  sure,  do  not  desire 
such  a  result.  But  if  it  should  take  place,  and  bear 
with  considerable  oppressiveness  upon  Roman  Cath- 
olics, American  Protestants  will  be  free  from  the 
responsibility  of  causing  it.  On  Romanists  the  re- 
sponsibility will  rest. 

"  But  what  you  have  said  about  the  Bible,  and 
the  views  and  usages  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
in  regard  to  its  circulation  and  use  by  the  people, 
should  be  received  with  considerable  allowance. 

"  Your  claim  to  antiquity  as  a  church,  and  to 
have  received  the  original  manuscripts  of  the  New 
Testament  from  the  hands  of  their  inspired  authors, 
is  ridiculous  enough,  as  authentic  history  assures  us 
that  your  church  had  no  existence  till  after  the  lapse 
of  centuries  from  the  times  of  the  Apostles. 

"  It  did  not  rise  till  the  spirit  of  Anti-Christ, 
which  began  to  discover  itself  while  the  Apostles 
were  present,  had  had  time,  through  apostacies  and 
various  corruptions  of  the  doctrines  and  institutions 
of  Christianity,  to  furnish  the  materials,  and  an  op- 
portunity for  its  formation.  Then  it  rose  in  an 
organized  form,  but  it  was  too  late,  by  several  huu- 
dreds  of  years,  to  receive  anything  from  the  hands 
of  divinely  inspired  writers. 

'•  What  you  say  about  the  printing  of  various 
editions  of  the  Bible  in  Europe,  is  very  well  so  far 


Ji64  STORY     OF     THE      MADIAI. 

as  it  goes.  But  it  misleads  because  more  is  not  said 
by  you.  To  give  the  true  impression,  you  should 
have  added  that  these  books  were  restricted  to  a 
narrow  circulation  by  the  enormous  prices  at  which 
they  were  held ;  and  also  that  those  only  might  have 
them  who  could  obtain,  from  the  Roman  Catholic 
Priest,  a  written  permission  to  that  effect.  '^  The 
possession  of  a  Bible  by  a  person  therefore  does  not 
depend,  in  a  Roman  Catholic  country,  on  a  desire  to 
have  it,  nor  simply  an  ability  to  pay  for  it ;  but  on 
the  judgment  or  caprice  of  a  Priest,  who  has  the 
control  of  the  matter.  -"•  ' 

"  What,  then,  is  this  but  a  practical  withholding 
of  the  Bible  from  the  people,  by  church  authority, 
notwithstanding  the  parade  you  have  made  of  the 
fact,  that  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  has  printed 
various  editions  and  versions  of  the  Scriptures  in 
Europe?  It  is,  notwithstanding,  withholding  the 
Bible  from  the  people  ;  and  in  all  Roman  Catholic 
countries  it  is  proverbially  true  that  the  masses  of 
the  people  do  not  have  the  Scriptures.  The  large 
and  costly  editions  they  cannot  buy  if  they  would, 
in  case  the  Priest  would  permit  them  to  do  it ;  and 
the  cheaper  editions,  furnished  by  Bible  Societies, 
they  are  forbidden  to  receive,  '  on  pain  of  excommu- 
nication,' and  of  ruin  both  for  this  life  and  the  life 
that  is  to  come.  These  things  you  will  not  venture 
to  deny  in  sight  of  the  enactments  of  the  Council  of 
Trent,  which  are  authoritative  in  your  Communion, 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  265 

and  of  the  '  Official  Bulls '  issued  within  forty  years 
past  by  Pius  VII.  Leo  XII.  Pius  VIII.  and  Gre- 
gory XVI. 

"  That  the  Bible  should  be  printed  by  you  in 
America  is  not  strange,  however  hostile  your  church 
may  be  to  its  free  circulation,  for  America  is  the 
land  where  the  people  honor  the  Bible  as  the  great 
instrument  in  securing  their  distinguished  prosperity 
and  happiness.  Opposition,  therefore,  to  the  Bible, 
professedly  and  openly  made  by  you,  would  fatally 
affect  your  prospects  and  hopes  of  success  in  this 
land  ;  and  you  are  too  wise  not  to  suppress  the  ex- 
pression of  disapprobation  of  its  free  distribution,  as 
you  have  suppressed,  in  the  edition  which  you  have 
approved  for  American  use,  such  notes  as  would  be 
sure  to  hinder  your  prosperity  here,  if  made  known 
to  the  public,  though  they  are  of  canonical  authority, 
and  are  published  in  the  editions  intended  for  circu- 
lation in  Roman  Catholic  lands. 

"  In  concluding  your  letter,  you  speak  of  a  '  new 
national  policy  that  has  been  broached  in  the  Senate 
of  the  United  States,  in  connection  with  the  case  of 
the  Madiai,'  and  which  you  truly  say,  '  purports  to 
be  a  vindication  of  the  rights  of  conscien9e,  to  be 
secured  to  all  American  citizens,  in  whatever  coun- 
tries they  may  choose  to  travel  or  sojourn,'  and  it 
appears  to  meet  your  special  disapprobation,  although 
similar  privileges  are  secured  in  this  country  to 
strangers  from  every  nation  of  the  world.   You  seem 


266  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

to  endeavor,  in  various  ways,  to  cloud  the  subject,  and 
so  to  embarrass  it  as  to  hinder  its  favorable  consid- 
eration by  the  people.  But  something  more  clear, 
as  well  as  forcible,  will  probably  be  requisite  in 
order  to  secure  that  result. 

"  You  say  that  '  there  is  a  confusion  of  ideas  in 
the  minds  of  those  who,  with  General  Cass,  plead  for 
freedom  of  conscience,'  and  you  very  kindly  tell  the 
world  what  they  would  say,  if  they  only  knew  how. 
This  is,  indeed,  very  generous  of  you.  But  I  have 
looked  carefully  at  what  you  say  about  conscience 
and  its  freedom,  and  I  am  forced  to  believe  that '  the 
confusion  of  ideas '  is  with  yourself  rather  than  with 
the  friends  of  the  measure  contemplated.*  With  you, 
if  I  understand  your  reasoning  on  the  subject,  'free- 
dom of  conscience '  is  the  synonym  of  '  licentious- 
ness.' But  this  is  by  no  means  the  view  of  those 
who  plead  for  its  being  secured  to  our  citizens  in 
every  nation  with  which  we  may  hereafter  enter  into 
any  treaty ;  and  the  phrase  will  be  understood  in  its 

*  You  speak  of"  conscience"  as  an  entity— as  something 
having  an  existence  distinct  and  separate  from  the  human 
soul ;  for  you  say,  "  God  has  provided  in  the  human  soul  a 
fortress,  \o  which  it  can  retreat,  and  from  which  it  can  hurl 
defiance  against  all  invaders."  What  then  is  it  ?  If  it  is 
something  outside  of  the  soul,  which  can,  in  time  of  need 
take  refuge  in  "  a  fortress  provided "  for  it  in  the  soul— 
what  is  it  ?  Is  it  part  of  our  physical  nature  ?  Where  does 
it  belong  ?  From  the  following  sentence,  which  occurs  in  a 
subsequent  paragraph  of  the  discussion,  where  you  speak  of 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.         267 

true  and  proper  sense ;  and  the  thing  signified  will 
be  appreciated  by  the  Protestants  of  this  land,  not- 
withstanding all  your  attempts  to  embarrass  and 
prejudice  it.  And,  I  trust  that  the  '  policy,'  as  you 
call  it,  in  our  national  legislation,  will  prevail,  and 
ever  hereafter  be  maintained. 

"Your  statements  in  regard  to  some  things  in 
the  early  history  of  the  United  States,  it  is  thought, 
need  considerable  modifications  to  conform  them  to 
the  truth.  With  what  seems  to  many  an  unbecom- 
ing assurance,  you  declare  that  in  regard  to  them, 
'  the  assumptions  of  General  Cass  are  a  fallacy.'  You 
then  set  up  a  claim  for  Roman  Catholics,  as  the 
founders  of  this  Government,  and  the  authors  of  its 
freedom  in  the  same  sense,  and  to  the  extent,  which 
such  claim  should  be  accorded  to  Protestants.  You 
put  forth  a  similar  claim  once  before.  Then,  perhaps, 
you  might  have  been  excusable,  on  the  ground  that 
you  had  not  the  means  to  know  certainly  that  the 
claim  was  wholly  groundless.    But  now  this  plea  can 

the  laws  of  a  country,  viz:  "They  may  be  regarded  as  the 
public  and  permanent  expression  of  the  aggregate  conscience 
of  a  State," — I  take  it,  that  in  your  estimation,  "  conscience" 
and  "will"  are  identical.  For  it  is  usual  to  consider  and 
speak  of  the  laws  of  a  people,  as  the  embodiment  or  expo- 
nent of  their  "  will,"  on  the  topics  to  which  the  laws  refer. 
But  I  may  have  failed  to  understand  you.  If,  however, 
*'  conscience  "  and  "  will "  with  you  mean  the  same  thing, 
and  if  you  represent,  in  this,  the  views  of  your  Church,  no 
wonder  that  Rome  is  intolerant  without  compunction. 


268  S*TORY      OF     THE      MADIAI. 

hardly  be  made.  Tliat  you  may  not  fall  into  the 
error  of  affirmmg  these  thmgs  again,  would  it  not  be 
well  to  turn  your  attention  to  our  history,  as  a  nation, 
a  little  more  carefully  *?  If  you  have  not  time  to  read 
extensively,  I  would  suggest  tliat  you  at  least  read 
Mr.  Polk's  review  of  your  Roman  Catholic  Chapter  in 
the  history  of  the  United  States,  in  which  its  numerous 
fallacies  are  clearly  and  satisfactorily  demonstrated, 
and  the  true  state  of  the  case  shown.  Roman  Cath- 
olics, as  such,  had  little  or  nothing  to  do  in  devising 
and  securing  the  liberties  of  this  country. 

"And  here  let  me  say,  that  I  am  surprised  at 
what  appears  to  be  your  notion  of  national  honor 
and  glory.  You  say,  '  I  am  persuaded  that  the  coun- 
try has  lowered  itself  in  dignity,  if  it  be  true  that 
the  President,  through  the  Secretary  Everett,  has 
become  a  petitioner  side  by  side  with  Lord  Roden,' 
to  '  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany.'  In  your  judgment, 
then,  the  Government  may  not  interpose  its  moral 
influence,  in  the  way  of  a  request  that  suffering  inno- 
cence should  be  released,  without  lowermg  its  dig- 
nity !  I  had  heretofore  thought  that  to  do  good,  and 
to  seek  to  promote  the  prevalence  of  righteousness 
everywhere,  whether  in  nations  or  narrower  circles, 
was  praiseworthy  and  honorable  to  those  who  en- 
gaged in  it.  Sure  I  am,  that  the  Bible  teaches  such 
a  sentiment,  whatever  you,  an  Archbishop  of  Roman- 
ism, may  hold  to  the  contrary.  If  it  would  be  un- 
worthy and  inglorious  to  seek,  by  moral  means, 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.  269 

which  inflicts  no  wrong,  to  induce  a  Government 
which  is  grossly  sinning  against  its  helpless  subjects 
to  desist  from  its  course ;  then  I  take  it  that  the  op- 
posite of  this  meets  your  idea  of  dignity  and  national 
honor.  So  then  you  would  have  persecution  to  reign 
without  an  effort  to  check  it !  It  would  be  the  glory 
of  nations  to  stand  by,  and  hear  the  shrieks  of  the 
despairing,  the  groans  of  the  dying,  and  the  sobs  of 
the  bereaved,  or  otherwise  wretched  by  reason  of 
the  oppressions  of  those  in  power  in  a  country,  and 
yet  attempt  nothing  for  their  releif !  This  may  suit 
you,  sir,  and  possibly  it  may  be  in  keeping  with  tlie 
Canons  of  your  Church ;  but  it  is  as  unnatural  and 
heartless  as  it  is  at  variance  with  the  Scriptures,  and 
with  every  just  sentiment  of  true  national  dignity 
and  honor;  but  this  is  not  your  doctrine  when  a 
Roman  Catholic  is  to  be  relieved.  It  is  in  the  re- 
membrance of  some,  that  you  asked  our  Government 
to  interfere  with  England,  to  relieve  a  Romanist — 
did  our  dignity  wane  then  ? 

"  Before  leaving  this  portion  of  your  letter,  it  is 
due  to  say  that,  in  point  of  ingenuity  and  adaption 
to  the  end  for  which  it  was  designed,  it  falls  not  a 
whit  below  any  other  portion.  The  Catechism, 
which  is  offered  to  Mr.  Everett  with  seeming  fair- 
ness, but  so  as  to  misslead  the  incautious,  and  give 
you  an  air  of  triumph,  and  an  opportunity  to  inti- 
mate that  public  opmion  in  this  country  is  identical 
with  the  '  legalized  intolerance '  of  Roman  Catholic 


270  STORY     OF     THE     MADIA  I. 

countries,  is  an  entire  evasion  of  the  subject  under 
discussion.  '  Freedom  of  conscience '  was  the  thing 
to  be  spoken  about  and  illustrated ;  but  you  have 
substituted  licentiousness,  and  spoken  as  though  the 
rebukes  it  received  a  few  years  since  by  an  insulted 
and  outraged  community  in  Charlestown  and  Phila- 
delphia were  acts  of  violence  suffered  by  Eomanists 
*  for  conscience  sake.'  Those  sufferings  at  the  hands 
of  the  populace,  on  the  occasions  alluded  to,  were 
induced  by  Roman  Catholics  themselves,  and  the 
consequence  of  many  and  most  aggravated  acts  of 
wickedness  on  their  part.  I  have  no  apology  to 
make  for  mobs,  but  when  the  causes  of  them  are 
misrepresented  in  order  to  inflict  a  wrong  on  our 
national  character,  it  is  proper  to  offer  a  correction. 
If  you  are  familiar  with  the  history  of  those  cases, 
you  must  be  aware  that  I  have  now  placed  them  in 
the  true  light,  as  to  their  causes. 

"I  do  not  deny  the  existence,  to  some  extent, 
and  in  some  individual  cases,  of  religious  bigotry  in 
this  country,  among  Protestants.  It  is  a  defect,  and 
is  to  be  deplored,  wherever  it  obtains.  But,  I  do 
deny  that  '  intolerance '  obtains  with  them  to  the 
extent,  and  in  the  form,  wliich  your  statements  and 
illustration  seem  designed  to  affirm.  The  princi- 
ples of  '  religious  freedom '  are  sacredly  guarded 
and  cherished  by  our  people ;  and  as  no  slight  evi- 
dence of  it,  I  might  cite  your  own  undisturbed  state, 
while  you  preach,  and  write,  harrangue,  and  publish, 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  271 

and  say  and  do  so  many  tilings  which  are  so  entire- 
ly at  variance  with  public  sentiment  and  feelings. 
Few  in  the  land  would  say  what  you,  without  blush- 
ing or  apology  for  its  insulting  character  and  want 
of  truthfulness,  have  said  in  the  letter  under  con- 
sideration, about  American  citizens,  in  general,  and 
about  some  of  our  most  distinguished  functionaries 
in  State,  in  particular.  You  furnish,  therefore,  in 
my  judgment,  in  your  own  case,  a  fair  and  full  re- 
futation of  your  assertions  about  the  social  intoler- 
ance of  this  land.  But  I  must  close.  I  have  written 
to  '  promote  the  welfare  of  my  countrymen,  and  the 
advantage  of  my  country,'  by  setting  right  what  you 
had  put  wrong,  and  restoring  order  w^here  you  had 
produced  confusion."  AN  OFFICER 

Of  the  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union. 
New-Yobk,  February  26,  1853. 

Reply  by   Simon  Peter. 

On  the  11th  of  March,  a  little  more  than  a  week 
after  the  publication  of  the  Reply  by  "  an  Officer  of 
the  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union,"  the  fol- 
lowing, signed,  "  Simon  Peter,"  was  published  in  the 
New-York  Herald.  The  writer  is  evidently  well 
acquainted  with  the  subject  on  which  he  writes,  and 
liis  letter  will  be  read  with  deep  interest.  It  is 
humorous  and  instructive,  and  is  worthy  of  particu- 


272  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

lar  attention.  If  it  places  the  Archbishop  and  his 
cause  in  an  unenviable  position,  the  responsibility 
is  on  the  Archbishop.  He  has  placed  it  and  liimself 
there.     But  to  the  letter. 

To  the  Rev.   John  Hughes,   D.  D. 

Roman   Catholic  Archbishop  of  New-York. 

Dear  Sir, — Your  Grace  must  not  be  surprised 
at  receiving  so  much  attention.  It  is  one  of  the 
penalties  of  greatness  to  be  exposed  to  such  things. 
If  you  had  not  made  yourself  so  conspicuous  for  aims 
already  gratified,  and  higher  ones  yet  to  be  accom- 
plished— for  the  Archiepiscopate  in  possession,  and 
the  Cardinal's  hat  in  expectation — I  am  not  sure  that 
what  you  say  and  do  would  arrest  quite  so  much  of 
the  public  notice  as  at  present.  In  common  with 
many  others,  I  have  read  with  some  care  your  letter 
to  the  Freeman's  Journal  of  the  19th  instant,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  "  Madiai,"  the  "  Meeting  in  the  Metropo- 
litan Hall,"  "  Religious  liberty,"  etc.  etc.  and  I  must 
say  that  I  was  not  a  little  disappointed.  My  dear 
Archbishop,  many  more  "  such  deliverances  "  as  the 
one  in  question,  and  that  notable  lecture  on  the 
"  Decline  of  Protestantism,"  made  just  as  you  were 
about  to  set  out  on  your  late  pilgrimage  to  Rome, 
will  not  augment  your  reputation  either  for  logic  or 
prudence. 

The  exordium  of  your  Grace's  letter  was  not 
happy.   To  attempt  to  ridicule  the  meetmg  in  Metro- 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.         273 

politan  Hall,  held  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  sym- 
pathy for  poor  and  humble,  but,  nevertheless,  very 
worthy  people,  who  are  suflermg  for  doing  what 
every  man  in  these  United  States  has  the  right  to 
do — namely,  to  impart,  by  reading  the  Bible  to  his 
fiimUy  and  friends,  and  endeavoring  to  lead  them  to 
adopt  his  views  of  the  Gospel,  and  act  according  to 
their  convictions — very  ill  became  the  high  and 
sacred  office  to  whicli  you  claim  to  have  been  called 
by  the  Saviour  of  men ;  and  because  similar  meet- 
ings had  been  held  in  England,  it  was  poor  logic  to 
take  it  for  granted  that  that  meeting  was  held  in 
imitation  of  them,  and  through  admiration  of  the 
English  aristocracy.  It  was  not  prudent  for  you  to 
talk  in  this  way,  because  your  enemies  may  justly 
say  that  in  this  you  betray  your  cherished  antipathy 
to  everythmg  that  is  English.  Your  Irish  origin 
will  account  for  this.  Had  you  been  cognizant  of 
the  facts,  you  would  have  known  that  to  imitate  the 
English  in  this  matter,  or  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  any  movement  because  it  was  English,  was  the 
last  thmg  that  would  have  occurred  to  any  of  the 
gentlemen  with  whom  originated  the  meeting.  On 
this  point  you  are  all  wrong,  I  beg  to  assure  your 
Eminence. 

As  to  "ragged  schools"  for  the  poor  children, 
which  Ireland,  not  England,  sends  to  our  shores — 
which  Romanism,  not  Protestantism,  has  made — our 
Protestant  fellow-citizens,  and  among  them  the  get- 


274  STORY    OF     THE     MADIAI. 

ters-up  of  the  meeting  at  Metropolitan  Hall,  are  not 
indifferent.  They  are  doing  much  in  many  ways  to 
care  for  them,  but  in  a  more  Christian  manner  than 
the  creating  of  ragged  schools.  But  all  this  is  of 
small  moment;  let  us  advance  to  more  important 
topics. 

The  meeting  was  called  to  promote  and  express 
sympathy  for  the  Madiai,  and  other  sufferers  (for 
the  rights  of  conscience  in  the  matter  of  religion)  in 
the  Grand  Duchy  of  Tuscany,  and  for  giving  utter- 
ance to  those  principles,  on  the  subject  of  religious 
liberty,  which  every  true-hearted  American  both 
holds  and  feels,  and  which  alone  can  either  create  or 
justify  such  sympathy.  Nor  can  your  Grace  find 
any  discrepancy  between  the  objects  set  forth  in  the 
call  for  the  meeting,  signed  by  thirty  distmguished 
Protestant  gentlemen,  and  the  statement  of  facts, 
resolutions,  and  series  of  propositions,  presented  to 
the  public  on  the  occasion.  The  meeting  was  called 
for  the  purposes  just  stated,  and  no  other.  As  to 
what  your  Eminence  says  about  the  object  being 
to  abuse  the  Roman  Catholic's  of  this  country, 
and  excite  prejudice  and  animosity  against  them,  etc. 
nothing  more  untrue  was  ever  uttered  by  any 
man,  and  I  can  scarcely  thinlc  that  you  believe  the 
assertion.  You  have  a  marvellous  tact  for  going  off 
into  whatever  may  divert  men's  minds  from  the  true 
state  of  the  case,  whenever  by  so  doing  you  can 
strengthen  your   cause.     For  was  there  anything 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  275 

said  or  read  at  the  meeting  which  could  be  justly 
considered  as  calculated  to  excite  prejudice  against 
the  Roman  Catholics  of  this  country.  No  one 
dreamed  of  holding  them  accountable  for  the  acts  of 
the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany  in  relation  to  the  Ma- 
diai.  It  is  true  that  the  spirit  and  history  of  Rome, 
or  rather  of  the  Roman  Catholic  hierarchy — for  it  is 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  the  people  being  noth- 
ing at  all,  and  having  nothing  to  do  either  in  the  de- 
termining of  doctrines  or  the  administration  of  disci- 
pline, as  you  well  know — were  spoken  of  freely  by 
some  of  the  speakers  w^ho  endeavored  to  defend  the 
Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  by  saying  truly  that  he  is 
not  so  much  to  be  blamed,  or  held  accountable,  for 
the  infamous  acts  in  question,  as  the  priests  around 
him,  and  especially  Pio  Nono,  who  could  by  a  word 
terminate  all  this  persecution.  Some  hard  things 
were  said  about  the  hierarchy  of  Rome,  it  must  be 
admitted ;  but  they  were  just.  It  is  also  true  that 
your  eminence  was  most  earnestly  called  on  to  join 
this  movement  in  behalf  of  the  poor  sufferers,  and  ex- 
ert your  great  influence  to  incline — by  addressing 
him  yourself,  or  praying  his  Holiness  to  do  so — the 
heart  of  his  Ducal  majesty  to  leniency  and  grace. 
Surely  there  was  nothing  in  all  this  like  a  premedi- 
tated plan,  or  any  effort,  to  excite  prejudice  against 
our  Roman  Catholic  fellow-citizens.  The  expressions 
of  Dr.  Bethune  in  favor  of  them  were  of  the  strong- 


276  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI, 

est  character,  and  they  were  as  real,  as  heartfelt,  as 
they  were  strong. 

No,  sir ;  there  was  not  a  speaker  on  that  occa- 
sion who  dreamed  of  holding  up  the  Roman  Catho- 
lics of  this  country  to  reproach  for  the  tyranni- 
cal acts  of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany.  These 
gentlemen  knew  well  that  there  are  thousands 
among  the  Roman  Catholics  of  this  country,  espe- 
cially among  those  who  were  born  in  this  land,  as 
well  as  thousands  in  France,  Germany,  Italy,  and 
other  papal  countries  abroad,  who  condemn  this  out- 
rageous injustice  as  earnestly  as  they  themselves  did 
or  could.  You,  therefore,  drew  very  largely  on 
your  imagination,  dear  Archbishop,  when  you  spoke 
of  the  meeting  as  'comprising  a  scurrilous  denuncia- 
tion of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  of  the  Jesuits, 
of  the  Pope,  of  the  Catholic  governments  of  Europe, 
of  the  Catholic  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  of 
the  Catholic  religion,  and  its  members,  of  all  times 
and  places.' 

The  quoted  words  will  indicate  to  your  Grace 
the  topics  on  which  you  have  grossly  (I  will  not  say 
wilfully,  for  you  and  I  are  of  Irish  origin,  and  ought 
therefore  to  treat  each  other  civilly)  misrepresented 
the  meeting,  and  those  who  spoke  at  it. 

As  to  your  complaint,  that  '  free  discussion  was 
shut  off'  at  the  meeting,  you  can  hardly  believe  that 
it  is  well  founded.  Even  your  neophyte  and  proteg^^ 
the  editor  of  the  Freeman^  Journal^  could  not  have 


PROCEEDINGS     IN    AMERICA.  277 

expected  that  his  request  to  be  allowed  to  speak,  just 
as  the  meeting  was  coming  to  a  close,  and  at  the 
late  hour  of  half-past  ten  o'clock,  would  or  could  be 
granted.  The  meeting  was  a  meeting  of  the  '  friends 
of  religious  liberty,'  to  which  Roman  Catholics  and  all 
others  were  invited,  and  so  they  and  all  the  world 
understood  the  matter.  Your  Grace  knows  enough 
of  such  things  to  be  convinced  that  such  a  meeting 
was  not  likely  to  be  gotten  up  and  carried  on  with- 
out some  plan.  And  you  know  well,  that  if  you  and 
your  Roman  Catholic  friends  were  to  get  up  a  pub- 
lic meeting  of  any  nature,  you  would  view  as  an  in- 
truder any  man  who  would  come  in  and  claim  the 
right  of  speaking  without  an  invitation ;  and  most 
certamly  it  is  hard  to  conceive  how  your  friend,  the 
editor  referred  to,  could  expect  to  speak  at  the  meet- 
ing in  question,  after  all  the  abuse  which  he  had 
heaped  on  the  poor  Madiai  in  the  columns  of  his 
paper.  But  he  and  you,  my  good  Archbishop,  have 
it  in  your  power  to  hold  another  public  meeting,  and 
set  forth  your  views  of  religious  liberty,  and  de- 
nounce persecution  in  Tuscany  and  everywhere  else 
as  much  as  you  please,  and  Protestants  will  be 
there  to  hear  you. 

You  are  kind  enough  to  say  that  you,  too,  would 
denounce  the  conduct  of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany 
if  you  could  only  believe  that  the  Madiai  have  been 
imprisoned  and  made  to  suffer  for  '  reading  their 
Bibles.'     You  cannot  believe  that  this  is  the  only 


278  STORY      OF      THE     MADIAI. 

cause  of  their  being  thus  treated.  Well,  the  case  is 
a  very  simple  one.  These  people  read  their  Bibles, 
Diodati's  version,  a  Protestant  one,  a  translation 
from  the  original  Hebrew  and  Greek,  made  by  a 
scholar,  a  better  one  than  Martini's,  or  any  other 
Romish  version  in  the  Italian  language — and  in 
doing  so  they  discovered  the  true  Gospel,  and  aban- 
doned the  errors  of  Rome ;  they  read  the  Bible  to 
others,  and  imparted  their  convictions  to  their  minds, 
and  they,  too,  turned  away  from  the  Romish  Church. 
This  was  the  head  and  front  of  their  offence.  This 
was  considered  treason.  Because  they  could  not 
believe  that  the  Virgin  Mary  is  the  mother  of  God, 
they  were  charged  with  blasphemy.  They  were 
tried  and  condemned  on  these  grounds  alone,  and 
wliich  two  of  their  judges,  (out  of  five,)  and  some  of 
the  ablest  advocates  in  Florence,  did  not  believe  to 
be  valid,  even  by  the  laws  under  which  their  con- 
demnation was  sought.  Archbishop  Hughes,  do  you 
believe — can  you  make  this  nation  believe — that 
these  people  were  justly  condemned  1  You  affect 
not  to  know  anything  about  the  circumstances  of 
this  case.  Well,  if  you  will  look  into  the  Journal 
of  Commerce  of  February  14,  1852,  you  will  find 
the  accusation  brought  against  these  people  at  the 
time  of  their  first  imprisonment,  and  it  will  enlighten 
you  somewhat.  And,  further,  I  have  to  say  that  we 
have  sent  for  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  at  the  trial, 
published  in  Italian,  and  when  it  arrives,  we  will  ap- 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  279 

point  one  competent  man,  and  you  shall  be  invited 
to  appoint  another,  and  these  two  shall  appoint  a 
third,  and  this  committee  shall  determine  whether 
these  Madiai  were  condemned  for  a  political  offence, 
or  for  that  which  I  have  stated  ;  the  reading  of  their 
Bible,  and  endeavoring  to  impart  their  convictions 
on  the  subject  of  religion  to  others,  not  guilty  of 
any  political,  or  civil,  or  moral  offence,  against  the 
laws  of  the  land.  You  speak  of  their  being  con- 
demned as  if  it  were  as  a  police  affair.  Yes,  it  was 
just  such  an  affair  of  the  police  as  that  which  put  the 
Apostles  in  prison  in  Jerusalem,  and  which  they  ex- 
pressly declared  they  would  not,  could  not,  obey. 
It  was  just  such  a  police  regulation  as  Prtetors  en- 
forced at  the  bidding  of  their  imperial  masters  at 
Rome,  and  which  ten  times  deluged  the  empire  with 
innocent  Christian  blood  during  the  first  three  cen- 
turies. 

You  have  given  it  as  one  reason  why  you  cannot 
believe  that  the  Madiai  have  been  condemned  for 
reading  the  Bible,  that  they  have  been  allowed  to 
read  their  Bible  since  their  imprisonment ;  and  you 
ask  whether  criminals — forgers,  for  instance — are 
allowed  to  continue  their  work  of  crime  in  prison 
after  their  condemnation  ?  Mr.  Moran,  a  Roman 
Catholic  priest  in  Newark,  New-Jersey,  has  asserted 
the  same  thing,  and  also,  that  they  are  allowed  the 
visits  of  an  ecclesiastic.  But  what  are  the  facts? 
They  are  not  allowed  to  have  their  own  Protestant 


280  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

Bible,  (Diodati's,)  nor  their  Protestant  religious 
books  and  tracts,  (although  their  confinement  has 
been  solitary  most  of  the  time,)  but  the  Eomish 
version  of  the  Bible  and  Eomish  tracts  are  alone 
placed  before  them ;  and  as  to  the  ecclesiastic  who 
is  allowed  to  visit  them  regularly,  he  is  a  Capuchin 
monk  ! 

Your  Grace  goes  on  to  argue  that  your  church 
cannot  be — has  never  been — opposed  to  the  reading 
of  the  Bible,  because  she  has  been  from  the  first  en- 
trusted with  the  precious  boon,  or  at  least  the  New 
Testament,  which  is,  in  fact,  her  exclusive  inheri- 
tance !  This  is  very  wonderful.  Just  as  if  the 
canon  of  sacred  scripture  was  not  settled,  and  every 
book  of  the  sacred  volume  translated  into  almost  all 
the  important  languages  of  Europe,  Western  Asia, 
and  Northern  Africa,  long  before  the  supremacy  of 
the  bishops  of  Eome  was  established,  or  the  Eoman 
Catholic  Church  heard  of!  Just  as  if  the  Greek 
Church,  from  the  middle  of  the  ninth  century,  and 
the  five  other  Oriental  Churches,  had  not  the  scrip- 
tures in  their  respective  languages,  and  did  not 
watch  over  them,  and  see  to  it  that  Eome  did  not 
corrupt  them  !  There  were  other  eyes  than  those 
of  Eome,  and  other  hands  than  hers,  that  cared  for 
the  precious  treasure.  I  well  know  that  after  the  art 
of  printing  was  invented  the  Bible  was  published, 
not  only  in  the  original  Hebrew  and  Greek,  but  also 
in  the  vernacular  languages  of  Italy,  Germany,  Hoi- 


PROCEEDINGS     IN    AMERICA.  281 

land,  France  and  England  ;  but  I  have  yet  to  learn 
that  this  was  not  rather  the  work  of  '  learned  men,' 
than  the  result  of  the  zeal  of  Rome,  and  her  Popes, 
her  Cardinals,  her  Archbishops  and  her  Bishops. 
Indeed,  some  of  the  men  who  were  engaged  in  this 
good  work  had  a  hard  time  of  it.  Even  in  the  fif- 
teenth century,  the  era  of  which  I  am  speaking, 
Eome  had  departed  too  far  from  the  truth  contained 
in  the  A\Titten  Word  to  have  any  relish  for  the  sa- 
cred volume.  The  Reformation  came,  and  it  gave 
the  Bible,  in  something  like  abundance,  to  the  people, 
inasmuch  as  the  Protestants  regarded  it  as  '  God's 
Book  for  the  People.'  But  as  to  Rome — I  mean  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  or  hierarchy  rather — she  has 
not  done  much.  Into  what  languages  of  the  heathen, 
among  whom  her  missionaries  have  labored  these 
last  two  centuries,  has  the  Bible  been  translated  1 
In  what  has  it  been  printed  by  those  missionaries  1 
Not  many — I  fear  not  one — I  mean  the  whole  Bible  1 
And  where  is  there  in  all  the  world  a  Roman 
Catholic  Bible  society  *?  If  you  know  of  one,  pray 
tell  me,  my  good  Archbishop — tell  me  of  one.  You 
say  that  an  Archbishop  of  Florence,  IVIonsigneur 
Martini,  translated  the  Bible  into  Italian  in  the  year 
1775.  I  know  it.  I  have  circulated  many  a  copy 
of  his  New  Testament,  though  I  think  it  not  equal 
to  Diodati's,  by  a  great  deal.  I  have  done  so  on  the 
principle  that  an  inferior  translation  is  better  than 
none.     The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  have 


282  STORY     OF     THE    MADIAI. 

printed  both  Diodati's  and  Martini's  translations  of 
the  entire  Bible,  as  well  as  the  New  Testament  by 
itself. 

Mr.  Moran,  a  Roman  Catholic  priest,  in  New- 
ark, New  Jersey,  already  referred  to,  has  recently 
affirmed  that  the  Bible  has  not  only  been  published 
in  Italy,  but  that  more  than  forty  editions  of  Mar- 
tini's translations  have  been  issued  since  it  was  first 
published,  and  that  it  is  to  be  seen  in  the  book- 
stores in  every  village  in  Italy,  from  one  end  of  the 
peninsula  to  the  other.  If  this  were  so,  one  would 
think  that  far  more  than  forty  or  fifty  editions  would 
have  been  needed.  But  it  is  not  true.  I  know 
something  of  Italy ;  I  have  been  there  several  times 
during  the  last  sixteen  years.  Until  the  revolution 
of  1848  opened  the  way  for  the  Bible  Societies  to 
print  the  Bible  at  Rome,  Florence,  Turin  and  Ve- 
nice, the  book  was  only  to  be  seen  in  a  few  book- 
stores in  the  chief  cities,  and  then  in  an  edition  of 
several  octavo  volumes,  with  copious  notes,  and 
costing  several  dollars.  It  is  in  vain  to  talk  about 
the  Bible  being  accessible  to  the  people  of  Italy 
whilst  published  in  that  form.  And  though  in  1848 
— '49  the  Bible  Societies  did  a  good  deal  in  Rome 
and  Florence,  yet  as  soon  as  the  Pope  and  the 
Grand  Duke  had  been  restored  from  their  flight  by 
French  and  Austrian  bayonets,  everything  of  the 
sort  was  stopped.  In  Rome  every  house  has  been 
searched  for  the  accursed  bookj  and  many  copies 


PROCEEDINGS     IN     AMERICA.  283 

have  been  confiscated  and  destroyed,  both  at  Rome 
and  at  Florence.  This  is  Rome's  way  of  taking  an 
interest  in  having  the  people  to  possess  and  read 
the  Word  of  God.  But  you  will  say  that  it  was  a 
Protestant  version  of  the  New  Testament  that  was 
confiscated  in  these  cities.  And  what  of  that  1  It 
was  a  good  version,  and  set  forth  the  truth  with 
great  fidelity;  but  then  it  had  not  the  authorized 
notes  of  the  Church.  Oh,  yes;  there  is  the  rub. 
Rome  is  afraid  to  give  the  Bible,  just  as  God  gave 
it,  to  the  people.  She  must  put  notes  to  it  to  inter- 
pret certain  passages  as  she  thinks  proper.  Well, 
this  Italian  New  Testament,  with  abundant  notes, 
has  been  published,  in  two  large  editions,  in  a  con- 
venient form,  and  at  a  comparatively  reasonable 
price,  at  Turin,  within  the  last  two  years,  but  by  a 
bookseller — his  Grace,  the  Archbishop  of  that  city, 
having  nothing  to  do  in  the  matter.  Indeed,  his 
Grace  has  not  been  at  home  these  two  or  three 
years,  the  government  of  Sardinia  having  given  him 
permission  to  travel  into  foreign  parts,  because  of 
his  having  improperly  meddled  with  political  affairs 
and  endeavored  to  subvert  the  constitution ! 

Your  Grace  cites,  in  proof  of  the  interest  which 
your  Church  takes  in  the  people's  possessing  and 
reading  the  Bible,  the  fact  that  some  twenty  or 
twenty-five  editions  have  been  published  (of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  version)  in  various  sizes,  and  under 
proper  episcopal  supervision,  in  these  United  States. 


284  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

This  is  a  most  extraordinary  and  fatal  statement. 
Why,  if  we  suppose  that  each  edition  was  of  10,000 
copies,  (which  is  probably  very  far  beyond  the 
mark,)  then  no  more  than  250,000  copies  in  all  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  version,  (not  half  as  many  as 
our  American  Bible  Society  issues  in  one  year,) 
have  been  published  in  this  country,  for  the  now 
two  or  three  millions  of  Romanists.  Archbishop, 
Archbishop !  this  is  too  bad !  And  yet,  what  better 
could  be  expected  ?  Notwithstanding  all  you  have 
said  in  your  recent  "  Letter,"  you  know  that  your 
Church  is  not  in  favor  of  giving  the  Bible  to  the 
people,  excepting  under  conditions  which  render  the 
permission  of  very  little  value.  Let  me  ask  you 
whether  you  have  not,  within  a  few  months,  in  a 
sermon  at  Yonkers,  New- York,  said  to  the  people 
that  they  ought  not  to  read  the  Bible — that  they 
could  not  understand  it — that  the  Church  alone  has 
the  ability  and  the  right  to  explain  the  Bible — that 
it  is  enough  for  the  people  to  learn  the  catechism, 
and  believe  what  the  Church  says  to  them  by  the 
mouth  of  the  priest  1  Did  you  not  say  this,  or  what 
was  equivalent  to  it  ?  If  you  did  not,  some  gentle- 
men of  my  acquaintance  greatly  misunderstood  you. 
As  to  your  remarks  about  '  liberty  of  con- 
science,' I  have  not  much  to  say.  You  might  well 
have  spared  the  little  homily,  for  everybody  knows 
that  liberty  of  conscience  does  not  mean  liberty  to 
hold  and  enjoy  one's  conscientious  opinions  on  the 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA.         285 

subject  of  religion  to  one's  self,  but  the  right  to  make 
tlieni  kno\vii  to  others.  The  nature  of  truth  is  to 
seek  to  be  known — in  other  words,  to  make  prose- 
lytes. '  A  Catholic  Layman,'  in  the  New-York 
Times  of  the  24th  ult.  has  well  stated  that  fact.  He 
has  also  well  distinguished  between  the  liberty 
which  is  created  by  the  constitution  and  laws,  and 
that  which  prevails  in  the  feelmgs  and  habits  of  com- 
munities. The  religious  liberty  granted  to  all  by 
our  constitution  and  laws  is  complete  ;  and  yet  oc- 
casionally popular  excitement  may  be  gotten  up, 
which,  for  a  time,  set  aside  the  laws,  and  overthrow 
the  liberty  guaranteed  by  the  constitution  and  the 
laws.  You  endeavor  to  throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of 
your  readers  by  disregarding  these  important  dis- 
tinctions ;  and  would  make  them  almost  believe  that 
we  have  not  religious  liberty  in  this  land,  because 
damage  has  been  done'  in  popular  tumults,  to  a  Ro- 
man Catholic  convent  near  Boston,  and  a  church  or 
two  in  Philadelphia.  Because  men  cannot  say  and 
publish  in  South  Carolina  and  Louisiana  what  they 
please  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  you  insinuate  that 
there  is  not  entire  religious  liberty  in  this  country. 
If  you  will  allow  me  to  say  it,  I  think  that  it  is  alto- 
gether unworthy  of  you.  You  know  that  there  is 
religious  liberty  in  this  land ;  that  in  no  State 
in  this  Union  is  a  man  forbidden  to  buy  a  Bible,  if 
he  has  the  means ;  he  may  read  it  if  he  can  ;  and  if 
he  is  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  unable  to  read,  whether 


286  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

owing  to  any  unwise  laws  in  any  State,  or  any  other 
cause,  he  may  hear  it  read,  he  may  hear  the  Gospel 
preached,  believe,  and  decide  for  himself  what  church 
he  will  join.  Would  that  there  was  as  much  reli- 
gious liberty  as  this  in  all  Roman  Catholic  countries  1 
As  to  the  religious  liberty  which  Roman  Catholics 
enjoy  in  this  country,  you  seem  to  think  that  they  are 
in  no  way  indebted  to  Protestants  for  it — that  they 
fought  for  it  during  the  Revolution,  and  gained  it 
by  their  good,  trusty  swords.  This  is  also  very 
wonderful.  Just  as  if  the  Revolution  in  which  the 
Roman  Catholics — though  they  were  too  few  to  have 
much  influence  in  that  great  movement — certainly 
bore  their  parts,  (and  some  of  them,  such  as  Charles 
Carroll  and  a  few  others,  a  very  honorable  one,)  gave 
religious  liberty  to  this  country.  You  must  certainly 
kftow,  dear  Archbishop,  that  all  the  colonies  brought 
hither  the  germ  of  religious  liberty,  whether  they 
came  from  England,  Scotland,  France  or  Germany, 
though  in  some  it  was  more  developed  than  in  oth- 
ers. But  all  went  on  advancing  in  regard  to  this 
great  subject  until  the  Revolution,  when  all  the  thir- 
teen colonies,  Protestant,  (even  Maryland  was  so,)  by 
an  overwhelming  majority,  enjoyed  a  great  amount 
of  religious  liberty,  and  some  of  them  a  full  measure. 
It  was  this  fact  which  insured  the  incorporation  of 
the  principle  of  religious  liberty  into  the  constitu- 
tion. Nothing  is  more  certain  than  that  all  the  re- 
ligious liberty  there  is  in  the  world  is  owing  to  Pro- 


PROCEEDINGS    IN     AMERICA,  287 

testantism.  As  to  the  statement  which  your  Grace 
has  sometimes  made,  that  we  owe  our  religious  lib- 
erty to  the  little  colony  which  Lord  Baltimore  plant 
ed  in  Maryland,  it  is  hardly  worthy  of  consideration. 
From  the  nature  of  the  case,  that  colony  could  not 
fail  to  have  religious  liberty  from  the  first ;  for  a 
Protestant  government  in  England  never  would 
have  allowed  a  Roman  Catholic  colony  to  be  planted 
here  upon  the  principle  of  intolerance.  But  if,  as 
you  say,  Rome  is  favorable  to  religious  liberty,  why 
does  she  not  grant  it  in  her  own  domain  ?  Why  does 
she  not  ? 

I  cannot  doubt  the  attachment  of  our  Roman 
Catholic  fellow-citizens  to  our  noble  political  institu- 
tions. And  yet  I  could  not  read  what  you  say  about 
their  "well-poised  self-possession,"  that  kept  them 
from  being  carried  away  by  the  influence  of  a  "  foreign 
demagogue"  (Kossuth)  who  recently  visited  us,  with- 
out something  more  than  a  smile.  Oh,  Archbishop ! 
if  Kossuth  had  been  a  Roman  Catholic,  or  contend- 
ing against  a  Protestant  country,  you  would,  perhaps, 
have  thought  differently  of  him.  But  he  was  a  Pro- 
testant, who  had  tried  to  overthrow  the  despotism  of 
the  House  of  Hapsburg,  (which  has  been  a  good  ser- 
vant and  friend  of  the  Papacy,)  and  in  doing  so  he 
had  the  generous  aid  of  millions  of  Roman  Catholics 
of  his  country,  far  more  than  half  of  the  soldiers  and 
officers  who  fought  in  that  war  being  such.  But  he 
fought  against  Austria !     That  was  enough.    But  let 


288  STORr    OF  the  madiai. 

us  look  at  the  other  side.  Where  was  the  "  well- 
poised  self-possession"  of  the  Irish  Roman  Catholics 
in  this  country — where  was  your  own,  dearest  Arch- 
bishop— in  the  summer  of  1848,  when  the  last  rebel- 
lion broke  out  in  Ireland '?  Surely  your  memory 
cannot  be  very  good.  Have  you  not  forgotten  those 
1500  which  you  gave  to  kindle  the  flame  of  civil  war 
in  your  native  land  1  But  then  it  was  to  overthrow 
the  dominion  of  hated  Protestant  Albion  in  the  Em- 
erald Isle.  That  changed  the  whole  affair.  But  let 
us  talk  no  more  about  the  matter,  for  I  greatly  fear 
that  it  is  not  agreeable  to  you. 

Nor  am  I  sure  that  the  next  topic  will  be  any 
more  so.  You  have  berated  General  Cass,  and  others, 
for  endeavoring  to  secure  the  protection  of  our  Ame- 
rican citizens,  in  their  religious  rights,  in  foreign 
lands.  Now,  this  measure  is  so  just  and  equal,  that 
I  wonder  that  a  man  of  your  penetration  does  not  see 
that  people  will  say  to  you :  "  Yes,  you  know  that 
American  Roman  Catholics,  as  well  as  American 
Protestants,  are  protected  in  their  rights  in  Protes- 
tant countries  almost  as  much  as  they  can  desire, 
and  that  in  most  Roman  Catholic  countries  Ameri- 
can Protestants  have  not  the  right  to  have  their  own 
religious  worship,  and  to  bury  their  dead  with  such 
ceremonies  as  they  prefer,  and  therefore  you  are 
quite  contented  with  the  present  state  of  things — 
from  the  feeling  that  Protestantism  has  something 
to  lose,  and  Romanism  nothing,  through  its  influ- 


PROCEEDINGS      IN      AMERICA  289 

cnce."  This  is  precisely  what  every  intelligent  Pro- 
testant will  think  and  say  about  your  conduct  in  this 
matter.  And  what  do  you  think  of  it  yourself,  my 
dear  Archbishop  1  Does  it  not  appear  rather  too 
mean  and  contemptible?     I  feel  concerned  for  you. 

Still  further:  what  shall  we  think  of  your  oppos- 
ing the  interference  of  Mr.  Fillmore  in  behalf  of  the 
Madiai,  especially  when  you,  and  hundreds  of  others, 
asked  this  same  President  Fillmore  to  do  precisely 
what  he  has  now  done  in  favor  of  Smith  O'Brien 
and  other  Irish  rebels — or  "  patriots,"  if  you  prefer 
the  word — that  is,  write  a  letter  of  intercession  in 
their  behalf  to  the  Queen  of  England?  What  a 
"  degradation"  this,  for  our  noble  President  and  our 
immortal  Webster,  to  be  seen  standing  in  humble 
attendance  in  the  ante-chamber  of  Albion's  proud 
monarch ;  and  all  this  for  a  few  Irishmen,  for  whom 
you  would  have  said,  if  they  had  been  Hungarians, 
that  "  hanging  was  too  good  for  them."  "  Oh.  con- 
sistency, thou  art  a  jewel !" — but  not,  in  this  case,  an 
Irish  one. 

But  you  seem  to  make  it  a  matter  of  reproach  to 
our  great  meeting  at  Metropolitan  Hall,  that  none 
of  the  great  Protestant  pastors  of  the  city  of  New- 
York  took  part  in  the  speaking  on  the  occasion. 
The  orators  were  all  from  such  "suburban  villages" 
as  Brooklyn,  Newark,  and  Elizabethtown.  If  the 
Hall  could  have  been  obtained  for  Monday  night, 
instead  of  Friday,  it  is  quite   probable   that  you 


290  STORY      OF      THE      MADIAI. 

would  have  heard,  had  you  been  there,  (it  U  re- 
ported that  you  were,)  some  gentlemen  from  the 
city  who  were  that  night  occupied  with  the  irregu- 
lar weekly  lectures.  As  it  was,  the  meeting  went 
off  pretty  well.  The  "  suburbans  "  acquitted  them- 
selves decently,  all  of  them.  They  are  no  mean 
men ;  nor  are  they  all  unknown  to  your  Grace.  Dr. 
Bethune  made  the  audience  feel  that  he  was  well 
able  to  grapple  with  the  subject.  Drs.  Kennedy, 
Hague,  and  Cox,  certainly  did  not  disgrace  them- 
selves. And  as  to  "  Kirwan,"  I  think  your  Grace 
has  some  remembrance  of  him,  unless  your  "  hegira 
to  Halifax  "  made  you  as  oblivious  of  the  past  as  is 
the  "  Bourbon  among  us  "  of  the  occurrences  of  his 
early  days. 

But,  with  your  permission  I  will  stop  here,  at 
least  until  your  Eminence  favors  the  public  with 
another  "  letter  "  on  some  subject  or  other. 

I  am,  your  Grace's  most  humble  and  obedient 
servant,  Simon  Peter. 


Why  have  the  Madiai  been  treated  so  cruelly  ? 

We  cannot  allow  this  volume  to  be  completed 
without  giving  the  testimony  of  our  countryman,  the 
Rev.  G.  H.  Hastings,  in  behalf  of  these  excellent 
people.  Mr.  Hastings  was  the  American  Chaplain 
ftt  Rome  for  three  years.     In  a  series  of  letters  pub- 


ONE     CAUSE     OF    THE     PERSECUTION.       291 

lished  in  the  New  York  Commercial  Advertiser  in 
the  month  of  April,  1853,  he  has  given  many  in- 
teresting particulars  respecting  both  Francesco  and 
Kosa  Madiai.  The  former  he  saw  often  at  his  house, 
as  well  as  in  the  American  Chapel,  at  Rome,  during 
the  winter  of  1850-51.  On  one  occasion  Sig.  Ma- 
diai officiated  as  a  deacon  for  Mr.  Hastings,  in  the 
administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Mr.  H.  de- 
scribes him  as  being  a  very  pleasant,  dignified, 
gentlemanly  person,  of  much  good  sense,  and  re- 
markably acquainted  with  the  Scriptures.  He  was 
a  zealous  and  faithful  Christian,  very  decidedly 
evangelical  in  his  views,  and  possessing  great  tact 
and  skill  in  controversial  discussions.  He  took 
little  or  no  interest  in  politics,  his  mind  being  en- 
grossed with  the  spiritual,  rather  than  the  political, 
regeneration  of  Italy.  He  was  in  Rome  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  a  courier  to  some  English  ladies  of  great 
respectability — a  post  which  is  of  much  responsibility 
and  requiring  great  attention,  kindness  of  manner, 
and  fidelity.  Mr.  Hastings  saw  Madame  Madiai  at 
Florence  in  June  following,  and  describes  her  as  a 
woman  much  superior  to  most  women  of  her  posi- 
tion in  society.  Tall,  slender,  dignified,  energetic — 
though  in  delicate  health — she  was  altogether  a 
remarkable  person.  She  was  prudent  as  well  as 
zealous.  Her  long  residence  in  England  had  given 
her  correct  ideas  of  the  nature  and  importance  of 
constitutional  government ;  but  politics  occupied  not 


292  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

her  attention.  She  was  more  concerned  for  the 
enlightenment  of  her  people  in  the  knowledge  of 
God's  Word.  Mr.  H.  thinks,  however,  that  if  only 
half  of  the  men  in  Tuscany  had  been  born  of  such 
women  as  Rosa  Madiai,  there  would  soon  be  no 
Austrians  in  that  duchy — and  we  think  so  too. 

We  subjoin  the  reasons  which  Mr.  Hastings  has 
given  for  the  harsh  and  severe  manner  in  which  the 
Madiai  have  been  treated  by  the  Tuscan  govern- 
ment. We  have  no  doubt  that  he  has  stated  the 
case  justly. 

"In  respect  to  distributing  Bibles,  the  Madiai 
were  certainly  active,  but  not  as  agents  of  any  so- 
ciety whatever ;  nor  had  they  ever  any  large  number 
of  Bibles  and  Testaments  deposited  with  them.  It 
was  not  their  practice  to  thrust  copies  upon  those 
who  might  not  desire  them ;  but  to  procure  them 
from  time  to  time  for  such  as  they  found  disposed 
to  search  them  honestly. 

"  The  tracts,  which  they  circulated  with  the  same 
prudence,  were  all  published  at  Florence  with  the 
approval  of  the  censorship  in  1849,  and  contained 
nothing  with  which  a  truly  pious  Romanist  could 
feel  offended  ;  they  having  been  prepared  with  great 
care  to  present  the  pure  Gospel  only,  without  con- 
troversy. 

"  In  respect  to  proselytism,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  both  conversed  freely  with  such  as  came  na- 
turally under  their  influence,  and  were  willing  to 


ONE     CAUSE     OF    THE     PERSECUTION.       293 

listen  to  them.  In  this  matter  they  kept  quietly 
within  the  circle  of  common  social  intercourse,  never 
putting  themselves  forward  as  zealots.  They  em- 
ployed none  of  those  arts  which  characterize  the 
prosclyter  in  the  offensive  sense  of  the  word,  as  one 
must  naturally  observe  from  reading  the  specifica- 
tions under  this  head  in  their  sentence.  Four  cases 
are  cited  in  proof  of  their  'scandalous  conduct,'  as 
the  judge  termed  it;  three  of  them  of  domestics  in 
their  family,  and  the  other  a  young  man  of  sixteen, 
to  whom  Mr.  M.  gave  French  lessons ;  all  of  which 
persons  at  the  time  expressed  themselves  grateful 
for  the  instruction  and  advice  offered  them,  though 
not  all  were  directly  influenced  by  it. 

"  In  their  defence,  the  Madlai  said  that  they  never 
attempted  anything  of  this  kind  except  where  they 
found  spiritual  stupidity  and  ignorance ;  and  that  in 
striving  to  win  souls  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
they  must  necessarily  do  it  after  the  manner  in 
which  they  had  learned  him. 

"  Fin-^lly,  as  the  very  worst  which  the  govern- 
ment could  make  out  against  them,  they  were  found 
guilty  of  having  'insinuated  the  preference  which  the 
religion  called  Evangelical  deserved  over  the  Catho- 
lic, and  counselling  that  one  should  not  give  heed  to 
the  teachings  of  the  priests;  reprobating  the  worship 
of  the  Virgin,  and  of  the  saints,  as  idolatry,  and  ridi 
culing  particularly  the  pious  custom  of  keeping  a 
light  burning  before  the  sacred  image  of  the  former.* 


294  STORY     OF      THE      MADIAI. 

"  That  they  used  this  and  similar  language  hun- 
dreds of  times  in  the  course  of  the  three  years,  from 
1848  to  1851,  when  there  was  a  growing  Protestant 
feeling  around  them,  is  true  enough.  But  that  they 
ever  occasioned  any  disturbance  by  it,  either  in  the 
street,  or  at  any  public  resort,  or  in  private  dwell- 
ings, is  not  pretended  by  their  accusers;  and  certain 
it  is  that  they  never  indulged  in  that  virulent  lan- 
guage toward  the  priesthood  common  to  the  people 
of  Italy. 

"  If  then  the  Madiai  were  such  persons  as  I  have 
described  them  to  be,  humble,  unobtrusive,  and 
scrupulous  to  avoid,  if  possible,  violating  the  known 
laws  of  the  land,  why  were  they  treated  with  such 
extraordinary  severity?  I  answer,  they  were  the 
victims  of  State  policy.  Both  the  Court  of  Tuscany 
and  the  Court  of  Rome  considered  it  necessary,  for 
the  extirpation  of  the  spreading  heresy,  to  make 
such  an  example  of  some  respectable  individuals  as 
should  strike  terror  among  the  people.  Count  Guic- 
ciardini  was  too  powerful  for  them,  and  had,  more 
over,  been  too  prudent  to  give  them  a  sufficiently 
plausible  excuse  for  anything  more  than  a  sentence 
of  exile  for  six  months. 

"  The  other  individuals  arrested  had  been  too  in- 
significant for  their  purpose.  Examinations  and  the 
testimony  of  spies,  pointed  to  the  house  of  the  Madiai 
as  the  favorite  resort  of  the  Evangelical  dissenters. 
The  family,  moreover,  had  a  certain  reputation  with 


ONE  CAUSE  OF  THE  PERSECUTION.   295 

the  English,  who  would  feel  the  blow  which  should 
descend  upon  it.  From  the  moment  the  government 
saw  this,  no  degree  of  prudence  on  their  part  could 
have  saved  them.  The  occasion  of  the  arrest  of  Mr. 
Madiai  was,  as  we  have  seen,  the  merest  pretence  on 
the  part  of  the  police ;  but  that  was  no  matter ;  his 
fate  was  already  determined  upon.  The  Duke,  the 
Duchess,  and  various  members  of  the  Court  were 
known  to  have  said  repeatedly,  that  they  would 
make  such  an  example  of  this  flimily  as  should 
effectually  terrify  others  from  embracing  the  Evan- 
gelical faith.  The  decree  of  1787,  under  which  they 
were  condemned  for  '  impiety,'  did  not  apply  to 
their  case  ;  but  that  also  was  no  matter ;  the  Inqui- 
sition claimed  them,  and  the  laws  of  their  country 
could  not  protect  them.  Agreeably  to  the  concor- 
dat signed  at  Rome  on  the  25th  of  April,  1851,  the 
sentence  of  the  Madiai  was  'deferred  to  the  ecclesi- 
astical authorities,'  and  was  actually  approved  at 
Rome  before  being  pronounced  at  Florence.  This, 
G)unt  Baldasseroni,  then  Muiister  of  State,  will  not 
deny. 

"Well  have  the  Grand  Duke  and  the  Grand 
Duchess  fulfilled  their  vow.  They  have  made  an 
example  of  the  Madiai.  But  an  example  of  what? 
Why,  of  what  poor  Italy  had  well  nigh  forgotten ; 
the  simplicity  of  the  primitive  Christian  faith,  and 
the  true  martyr  spirit. 

"  But  what  have  these  princes,  at  the  same  time, 


296  STORY      OF     THE     MADIAI. 

made  of  themselves?  Let  the  indignant  remon- 
strances made  to  them  by  Cabinets,  Legislative 
Assemblies,  and  the  people  of  half  of  Christendom, 
answer.  They  have  vowed  to  extirpate  from  their 
dominions  this  '  confession  called  Evangelical,  or  the 
pure  Gospel,'  though  their  names  go  down  to  poste- 
rity clothed  with  the  odium  of  a  Nero.  The  odium 
they  are  gathering  fast ;  but  the  confession,  being 
indeed  that  of  the  Pure  Gospel,  has  only  become 
the  better  appreciated  by  their  subjects  for  their 
persecution  of  it." 

We  cannot  forbear  to  give  the  following  remarks 
which  Mr.  Hastings  makes  in  the  concluding  number 
of  the  letters  referred  to.  They  are  just,  and  their 
importance  will  be  acknowledged  by  all  reasonable 
men. 

"A  word  in  conclusion  respecting  the  certain 
consequences  of  the  imprisonment  of  the  Madiai, 
which  are  beginning  to  show  themselves  in  this 
country.  There  was  reason  to  fear  that  so  long  as 
their  humble  and  sincere  confessors  of  the  evan- 
gelical faith  remained  in  bonds  for  conscience  sake, 
there  would  be  continual  outbreaks  of  popular  will 
toward  Romanism,  to  the  just  grievance  of  our 
Roman  Catholic  fellow-citizens.  Such  a  result  every 
enlightened  patriot,  Protestant  or  Catholic,  would 
have  endeavored  to  avert.  As  Protestants  we  are 
bound  to  defend  the  religious  freedom  here  enjoyed 
by  the  Romanists ;  as  their  fellow-citizens  we  are 


ONE  CAUSE  OF  THE  PERSECUTION.   297 

bound  to  respect  their  equal  title  to  every  civil 
privilege  kno^v^l  to  us.  Moreover,  we  are  so  exten- 
sively linked  together  in  social  ties  of  relationship 
and  love,  that  either  party  must  necessarily  feel  out- 
raged at  any  indignity  cast  upon  the  other.  But  at 
this  juncture,  when  popular  passion  is  becoming  ex- 
cited at  the  barbarity  of  Roman  Catholic  Govern- 
ments abroad,  with  whom  rests  the  greatest  power 
to  tranquillize  the  public  mind?  Let  the  Roman 
Catholic  clergy  and  editors  candidly  admit  the  vio- 
lence done  to  all  just  liberty  of  conscience  in  the 
treatment  of  the  Madiai ;  let  them  show  that  they 
have  no  sympathy  with  the  Tuscan  Government  in 
this  persecution  of  dissenters ;  and  join  us  in  our 
endeavors  or  make  some  honest  effort  of  their  o^vn, 
to  cause  religious  persecution  everywhere  to  cease ; 
and  they  will  accomplish  quickly,  and  with  ease,  a 
change  in  the  popular  feeling  which  millions  of  Pro- 
testants in  their  best  endeavors,  and  the  civil  au- 
thorities with  all  their  forces,  can  never  effect.  But 
let  them  persist  in  their  attempts  to  make  false  issue 
in  this  case  by  their  \^Tetched  sophisms  in  com- 
mendation of  the  Grand  Duke,  and  in  derogation  of 
the  Madiai ;  let  them  continue  to  denounce  the 
active  sympathy  of  the  Protestant  world  in  behalf 
of  these  sufferers  for  Christ's  sake  as  '  all  a  flirce,' 
and  let  them  still  contemn  '  as  mere  drivelling '  the 
efforts  of  our  national  Cabinet,  of  our  Senators  and 
State  Legislatui  es,  to  procure  by  treaty  the  right  of 


298  STORY     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

public  worship  for  American  citizens  in  Roman 
Catholic  countries — then  will  they  make  themselves 
the  most  guilty  agents  of  all,  in  kindling  the  flame 
of  popular  wrath  toward  Romanism.  Nor,  in  such 
case,  can  the  people  avoid  the  conviction  that  the 
claims  of  Romanism  here,  as  well  as  on  the  conti- 
nent, and  the  secret  agency  of  the  priesthood  too, 
are  utterly  at  war  with  the  free  institutions  of  the 
country  1 

"  The  priaciples  upon  which  the  Roman  Catholic 
sovereigns  of  Europe,  instigated  by  the  Court  of 
Rome,  are  now  acting  toward  the  poor  peo^^le,  and 
toward  Protestants  in  particular,  are  in  the  highest 
degree  oppressive,  unjust  and  cruel ;  as  opposite  to 
the  precepts  of  the  Saviour  as  depraved  human  na- 
ture can  make  them.  The  great  mass  of  our  Roman 
Catholic  fellow-citizens  secretly  believe  this ;  but 
they  are  restrained  from  the  public  expression  of 
their  convictions.  May  they  yet  have  bishops  and 
editors  who  will  know  how  to  disengage  the  religion 
of  Jesus  from  all  fellowship  with  such  principles, 
and  who  may  be  able  to  guide  the  Roman  Catholic 
mind  of  the  country  into  just  views  and  the  perfect 
practice  of  religious  toleration.  Then  shall  we  walk 
peaceably  together;  and  the  excesses  of  sectarian 
strife,  which  we  have  too  much  reason  to  dread,  will 
be  averted." 


CONCLUSION.  299 

THEIR    LIBERATION. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  Deputation  from  England,  France,  Holland^ 
Germany,  and  Switzerland,  visited  Tuscany  in  Oc- 
tober 1852,  about  the  same  time  the  King  of  Prussia, 
it  is  understood,  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Grand  Duke, 
and  sent  one  of  his  favorite  Councellors  of  State  to 
intercede  in  behalf  of  these  suffering  ones.  It  is 
believed  that  the  Queen  of  England  caused  her  ear- 
nest desires  for  their  liberation,  to  be  made  known 
to  his  "Imperial  and  Ducal  Highness."  But  all 
seems  to  be  in  vain,  so  far  as  their  release  was  con- 
cerned. It  is  true  that  these  efforts  in  their  behalf, 
together  with  the  great  publicity  which  was  given 
through  the  Journals,  to  the  reports  made  by  the 
Deputation,  as  well  as  by  other  persons  who  gained 
access  to  their  prisons,  probably  had  no  little  influ- 
ence in  securing  for  the  prisoners  the  humane  treat- 
ment which,  according  to  Mr.  Colombe,  the  Swiss 
Chaplain  at  Florence,  they  undoubtedly  received 
during  the  latter  and  greater  portion  of  their  con- 
finement after  their  condemnation.  So  much  was 
gained;  but  still  there  was  no  manifestation  of  a 
disposition  on  the  part  of  the  Government  to  release 
them. 

This  was  the  state  of  things  when  the  great 
meeting  in  Metropolitan  Hall,  New- York,  on  the  7th 


300  STORY     OP     THE     MADIAI. 

January,  1853;  followed  by  those  in  Newark,  Ne;v 
Jersey !  and  Baltimore,  not  long  afterwards.  By  the 
Steam  Ship  of  January  6th,  the  letter  of  the  Hon. 
Edward  Everett,  was  forwarded  to  the  Grand  Duke 
of  Tuscany.  This  letter  was  unofficial^  and  sent  to 
the  American  Consul  at  Florence,  with  directions  to 
cause  it  to  reach  the  Grand  Duke.  About  two 
weeks  later  Lord  John  Russel,  the  British  Minister 
for  Foreign  Affairs,  addressed  an  earnest  and  very 
stringent  letter  to  Mr.  Bulwer,  the  English  Am- 
bassador at  Florence,  and  directing  him  to  use  all 
the  influence  he  could  in  behalf  of  the  prisoners. 

Through  God's  blessing,  these  efforts  were  not 
in  vain.  The  Grand  Duke  at  length  resolved  to 
liberate  them,  and  send  them  out  of  the  country. 
Without  a  word  said  to  the  British  Ambassador,  or 
the  least  notice  given  to  the  public,  the  prisoners 
were  sent  down  to  Leghorn  by  different  trains  on 
the  rail-road.  Madame  Madiai,  from  Lucca  on 
Tuesday,  March  22nd,  and  her  husband  from  Flo- 
rence the  day  following.  Upon  her  arrival  at  Leg- 
horn, Madame  Madiai  was  taken  to  the  French  Con- 
sulate, whence  she  was  ordered  to  go  at  once  on 
board  a  French  Mail  Steamer,  which  was  to  leave 
the  next  day  for  Marsailles.  This  she  refused  posi- 
tively to  do  ;  saying  that  she  was  a  Tuscan,  and  not 
a  French  subject,  and  that  the  French  Consul  had 
no  right  to  send  her  out  of  the  country.  This  ground 
was  also  taken,  it  is  probable,  from  an  apprehension 


CONCLUSION.  SOI 

that  she  was  to  be  liberated,  and  her  husband  left  in 
prison.  Upon  the  Consul's  solemn  assurance  that 
her  husband  would  join  her  the  day  following  on 
board  the  Steamer,  she  consented  to  embark.  From 
the  steamer  she  contrived  to  send  a  parcel  and  a 
note  to  the  British  Consul,  informing  him  of  what 
was  going  on,  and  requesting  him  to  come  and  see 
her, — which  he  immediately  did,  accompanied  by 
the  English  Chaplain.  The  latter  wrote  at  once  to 
the  London  "Times,"  and  the  former  telegraphed 
Mr.  Er^kine,  the  British  Charge'  d' Affaires  at  Flo- 
rence, who  lost  no  time  in  communicating  the  fact 
to  Lord  Jolm  Russell,  which  flict  he  stated  in  the 
House  of  Commons  on  the  Friday  following. 

On  Wednesday,  ^March  23d,  Francesco  Madiai 
was  sent  down  to  Leghorn,  accompanied  by  M.  de 
Gabriac,  the  French  Ambassador  at  Florence,  and 
was  immediately  placed  on  board  the  Steamer  re- 
ferred to.  There  he  met  his  wife,  just  nineteen 
months^  that  day^  after  their  arrest  and  first  impri- 
sonment!  The  British  Consul  took  pains  to  supply 
them  both  with  suitable  clothing,  of  which  they  had 
great  need,  for  the  weather  was  very  inclement, 
and  they  had  only  the  light  dresses  in  which  they  were 
sent  to  their  last  prisons  in  July.  The  French  Am- 
bassador and  Consul  went  with  them  to  Marseilles, 
and  committed  them  to  the  care  of  the  Police  of 
that  city — a  fact  which  has  led  some  to  believe  that 
they  owe  their  liberation  to  the  mterposition  of  the 


302  STORT     OF     THE     MADIAI. 

French  Government. — Indeed,  they  were  so  In- 
formed by  these  gentlemen  on  the  Steamer,  although 
it  would  be  difficult  to  reconcile  all  this  with  the  pre- 
vious conduct  and  language  of  M.  de  Gabriac.  It  is 
more  likely  that  they  were  requested  to  accompany 
the  liberated  ones  for  the  purpose  of  securing  their 
admission  into  France,  and  a  proper  disposition  of 
them  there. 

Both  Francesco  and  Rosa  Madiai  were  exceed- 
ingly debilitated  by  their  long  imprisonment ;  and 
their  first  desire  was  to  find  repose  at  Marseilles. 
They  were  received  with  kindness  by  the  Prefect  of 
the  Department,  (Bouches  du  Rhone,)  who  kindly 
permitted  them  to  attend  Protestant  worship,  (which 
the  Police  were  disposed  to  prevent,  because  their 
presence  attracted  a  crowd,)  and  to  enjoy  themselves 
as  best  they  could.  At  the  time  of  this  writing  it 
is  not  known  to  us  where  they  will  take  up  their 
abode.  It  is  probable  that  after  ppending  some  time 
in  the  south  of  France,  they  v»^ill  go  to  Switzerland. 
They  have  been  invited  to  England  and  to  Prussia. 
They  will  find  a  welcome  in  any  Protestant  country 
— in  none  a  more  heart-felt  one  than  in  our  own,  if 
they  should  wish  to  come  to  us. 

Here  we  bring  our  story  of  the  madiai  to  an 
end.  What  an  illustration  of  the  infernal  spirit  of 
Rome?  What  a  proof  that  even  in  this  Nineteenth 
Century  she  is  just  what  she  was  when  in  successive 
ages  she  persecuted  the  Albigences,  the  Waldenses, 


CONCLUSION.  303 

the  Hussites,  and  the  Protestants  of  France,  Flan- 
dors,  Italy,  Poland,  and  Hungary !  Well  may  the 
dear  liberated  ones  exclaim :  The  snare  is  broken, 
and  we  are  escaped!  There  is  reason  to  believe  that 
whatever  may  be  done  hereafter  in  Tuscany  to  ex- 
tirpate heresy  will  be  done  in  a  secret  maimer,  and 
in  accordance  with  the  recent  edicts  of  the  Govern- 
ment, which  give  the  Police  unbounded  power  to 
arrest  and  imprison  without  a  trial !  Already  they 
are  making  that  power  to  be  felt.  Well  may  we  ex- 
claim :  How  long^  0  Lord^  how  long  ? 


THE      END 


